Kataku
by KousukeAsazuki
Summary: Rules were meant to be broken, and excuses were made to be used, but what happens when Izuru Kira finds himself stuck between a king that uses his rules as an excuse and one that uses his excuses as his rules? \Full list of pairings inside./
1. Ichimaru Gin

I'll leave most of my comments/replies for after the chapters. The only notes I'll put up here are translations for any words/terms I use that might need explaining. Since this is the first chapter, I will talk a little and say that I really hope you all enjoy this story. I put a bit of effort into it, and I personally think it's better than my previous fics. Criticism, praise, anything is welcome, but most of all, I would really appreciate your feedback. Without further ado, welcome to Kataku!

* * *

_**Kataku**_

_Chapter One: Ichimaru Gin_

* * *

The sounds of metal clanking filled the air. Shouts of men and cries of fallen victims littered the bloody battlefield. A bald-headed warrior ripped through his enemies like nothing, his dual-bladed spear cutting through flesh and bone like melted butter. The crazy grin on his face did nothing for his next victim's hopes as he dashed toward the armored man.

"Sh-shit!" the soldier cursed, barely blocking the assault of attacks. His sword was shaking in his hands as the crazed man spun his spear around like a baton.

Ikkaku smirked, taking a moment to survey the scene around him. Warriors (or so they called themselves) were donned in full-body armor, complete with a midnight black bandanna tied somewhere on their person, traditionally around their right upper arm. Many of their comrades were already slain on the ground by no other hand than his own-- man; he loved days that started out this way.

"Got you!" his opponent shouted, apparently sensing a hole in his defense.

"Like you could," he remarked, resuming his fighting stance for a moment to pierce one of the spear's blades up through the enemy's stomach and out his back.

The man screamed for only a moment before his lifeless body became like a hood ornament on a car-- still and useless. He flipped the shaft once and let the body slide to the ground.

"This is so horribly ugly," Yumichika commented, joining Ikkaku. His dual blades were drawn and stained red as he looked around in distaste. "If I get anymore blood on me, I'm going straight to Zaraki-sama and complaining."

"I think he'll be peeved enough that he didn't get to join us out here on this fine day," Ikkaku reminded him, driving his spear into the ground and leaning against it, "but at least this way we get to have some fun on our own."

"I hardly call this senseless, barbaric fighting 'fun'," the black-haired boy replied, glancing around in distaste. "Not beautiful at all. By the way, where is Zaraki-sama?"

After a moment of thought, Ikkaku shrugged. "No clue."

"Does he even know about this battle?" he wondered, looking around at the fighting soldiers surrounding them. He realized that there were a lot of black bandanas around, but very few red ones as he and Ikkaku were wearing. "Ikkaku?"

"Hm?"

"Who else, besides you and I, knows about this battle?"

Before Ikkaku replied, he lifted his spear from the ground and dashed forward, meeting an opposing soldier head-on. He made quick work of the man and turned back to his comrade. "Well, I received the alert about the fight and ran out. I only told the people I saw on the way, of whom followed me."

Yumichika paled at hearing this. "Ikkaku?"

"Hm?"

"You're an idiot."

* * *

"Three cheers for victory!" a voice rang out through the dining hall.

A myriad of shouts followed afterward and laughter ensued. Seated at a long, wooden table sat nearly a hundred men, all digging into the feast in front of them. The one who had shouted, a bright-haired teen, was next to the head of the table.

Ichigo looked to his king and grinned. "Another victory for us, it seems."

Ichimaru smiled just a little wider than normally and raised his glass in a toast. "And it's all thanks t' ya, Ichigo, my dear second-in-command."

The carrot-top laughed and knocked back his own drink. "To Ichimaru-sama!"

"Ichimaru-sama!" was the joyous reply he received from the soldiers.

The man himself sat at the head of the table, quietly sipping his own liquid, until a much shorter form rushed up to him. "Oh?" he asked, glancing to the blue-haired boy. "Hanatarou-kun, have ya come to celebrate with us?"

Hanatarou sighed and rubbed his head, "Ichimaru-sama, I'm happy for your victory, but you still have a lot of soldiers that are still wounded; I can't take care of it all myself."

"Sure ya can," Ichimaru told him, patting his head, "I've got faith in you."

"It's not a matter of faith," Hanatarou sighed again (something he found himself doing a lot around his lord), "there's just too many of them for me to treat by myse-"

"Take a load off and have a drink with us, Hana," Ichigo insisted, shoving a cup into the boy's hands.

"I couldn't possibly," he objected, setting the cup on the table. "I'm way too young, and aren't you underage, too?" He blinked and then looked to Ichimaru. "Actually, aren't you, as well?"

"It's nothing t' worry 'bout," Ichimaru assured him.

"You're too relaxed," Hanatarou muttered before bowing quickly, "but please excuse me, if I have to attend to all of those men by myself, I'd better get back to them."

"Such a weird kid," Ichigo muttered as the boy ran off, "don't you think?"

"Maybe," Ichimaru said, smiling and taking another drink, "but he's sure useful."

* * *

A few hours (and way too many drinks) later, Ichimaru found himself sprawled in his king-sized bed. He wasn't quite sure how he'd gotten there, but when he saw the boy next to him, he had a pretty good clue.

Ichigo was seated patiently next to the bed, a state that was far from his usual. He watched his lord, flushed in the face from alcohol, slowly sit up and glance at him. A moment after their eyes locked, Ichigo looked away again, wondering if he should leave or not.

"Ichigo," Ichimaru said quietly. His face was void of any smile and he looked as serious as he ever had before.

"Eh?" Hazel-brown eyes blinked, a little confused and a little afraid he'd done something wrong. "What is it, Ichimaru-sama?"

"Will you always remain loyal t' me?"

The question startled Ichigo and his eyes widened slightly in shock. He stared at Ichimaru's solemn face for a few minutes before answering. "Of course, my lord." When he thought about it-- really thought about it-- there was no one else he would dream of showing respect to or calling his lord and master. Ichimaru was the one he had dedicated his life to, and whether the king's actions be right or wrong, he would defend his lord's beliefs to the death. That was just the kind of person he was.

Ichimaru's smile returned as he lay back in his bed again. "That's good t' hear. I'm glad t' have ya around, Ichigo."

"Yes, my lord."

Ichimaru had expected his subordinate to leave then, but for some reason, the younger one remained. _"He says he'll remain loyal, but I'm bettin' he's just like the rest. Not that it matters much; I ain't lookin' for anyone different right now."_

"Ichimaru-sama," Ichigo said suddenly, stirring the silver-haired king from his thoughts. He looked deep in thought, another talent that he rarely showed.

"What's the problem?" Ichimaru asked, aiming for a lighter and friendlier tone of voice. He felt the great unconsciousness tugging at him again and he began to slip into a deep sleep, barely hanging on to Ichigo's words-- damn, sake really is a bitch in large amounts.

"What happened to the previous king?" It had been something he had been wondering for a while. How had his lord, the one he entrusted and gave his life to, been named the leader of their country so early in his life? He was only now twenty, soon to be turning twenty-one in September, and had been ruling already for nearly five years.

Ichimaru was stirred from his daze slightly and his eyes cracked open just a sliver to glance at the orange-haired boy. He saw Ichigo tense under his stare and closed his eyes again. "She left," he murmured before drifting off into a sake-induced sleep.

Ichigo watched his lord sleep for a few minutes. _"Left?" _he wondered. _"And it was a woman?" _He then realized he knew nothing of his lord or the life Ichimaru had lived before he arrived. _"I'll find out some day," _he decided, resolutely, before standing up and exiting the room to leave Ichimaru to sleep in peace.

* * *

And thus ends the first chapter/introduction to Kataku. As a respect to my own style of writing, most of my chapters will be short. However, as things pick up a bit, a few of the chapters will be a bit lengthy. A few notes that I wanted to save for afterward:

First of all, yes, since I am a serious fan of yaoi, there _will _be yaoi in this fi- don't close the window yet! It'll be light, fluffy, and nothing more than kissing. So, even if you don't like it, it might still be standable-- you can decide.

The pairings will be as follows: IchimaruKira, IchimaruIchigo, ByakuyaUkitake, ByakuyaRenji, AizenHinamori, KiraYumichika, and UraharaHisagi. Now, whether those pairings are mutual, onesided, implied, or whatever else, you'll just have to wait to see XD. Also, that's throughout the entire story, so don't read three chapters and go 'Ichimaru and Ichigo haven't made out, you're a liar!' (Honestly, people who make those comments don't have that proper of a way of speaking, but you get my point.) Some (read: many) of those relationships will take time to develop, others you can spot pretty early.

I think that's about all the information I'll throw at you for now. Please, if you read through this whole rant, I think you have the patience to review, right? I would really appreciate feedback, so don't think I just want a high review count (I can tell how many enjoy my stories from my hit counter). Bye-bye!


	2. Kira Izuru

_**Kataku**_

_Chapter Two: Kira Izuru_

* * *

_"Gotta hurry, it's already getting late," _Kira thought as he raced down several hallways. He was fortunate that his lord had a bad sense of direction and that the hallways were laid out in a simple pattern. Otherwise, he was sure to have gotten lost at an important time like this. He skidded around a corner, trying to keep the numerous scrolls piled in his arms balanced, and failed to notice the soldier right in front of him.

_Crash!_

The scrolls cluttered onto the floor, rolling around like they had nothing better to do. Kira let out a frantic and exasperated shout before dropping to his knees and quickly retrieving them.

Ichinose watched the blonde carefully before kneeling down and picking up a few of the scrolls at his feet. He wondered what Kira was doing, running around like that with so many scrolls, but figured it was none of his business, and the work was probably meant for their lord.

"Here," he said softly, handing Kira the rest of the papers as the two rose to their feet.

Kira grabbed the scrolls and made a point to avoid eye contact with the soldier. "A high-ranking officer like you shouldn't be bothering to help out servants," he muttered under his breath, sounding a lot more ungrateful than he actually was.

Ichinose studied his disheveled demeanor for a few more moments, mixed emotions reflecting in his eyes. He then walked around Kira and down the hall to continue to wherever he had been headed.

Kira finally raised his head and looked over his shoulder after the blue-haired commander. He frowned slightly, _"That guy never talks much, I wonder what's up with him." _He then looked back to the scrolls in his arms and started slightly, _"Right, I have to get these to Zaraki-sama!"_ With that mission in mind, he took off down the hall once again.

* * *

"Zaraki-sama?"

Silence.

"My lord?"

More silence.

"Zaraki-sama!"

A sigh.

Ikkaku grumbled to himself and sat back in his seat. He looked to his leader, who had been sulking since the news of the missed (and lost) battle. He knew he was responsible for possibly both of those troublesome facts, but he really couldn't care at the moment. His eyes slid to Yumichika, and narrowed into a glare.

"Don't look at me that way," the feathered boy told his comrade, not looking up from his book, "The scene was way too ugly, we had to get out of there."

"I could have _won_," Ikkaku protested, crossing his arms, "they were just foot soldiers, after all."

"Could have," Zaraki muttered, "but didn't."

"I would have if Yumichika hadn't pulled me away!" the bald one shouted, narrowing his eyes again.

"I wouldn't yell at Zaraki-sama when he's in a bad mood," Yumichika chided, to which Ikkaku sighed and settled back down again.

Zaraki studied the expanse of land outside of his window. The Kingdom of Kyuukaku was always a scorching place and the land was barren in most places because of the high temperatures. Of course, that suited Zaraki just fine as he never really liked cold places. Sometimes, though (like now), the heat got to him and irritated him. The added unpleasantness of the lost battle nearly pushed him to his limits.

_"The next person that gets on my nerves..."_

It was at that moment that Kira burst through the door, awkwardly carrying what could only be paperwork for Zaraki. He stumbled into the room, carefully balancing the scrolls and gave as much of a bow as gracefully as he could.

"Zaraki-sama, I have-"

"Save it," the black-haired man cut him off, "I don't want it."

Kira blinked, "But, my lord, these documents are-"

"I said _save it_," the king growled, "I'm not in the mood."

Ikkaku and Yumichika were both paying full attention to the conversation, having rarely seen their leader this angry. Kira seemed either stubborn or oblivious to Zaraki's rage, and persisted.

"You have to finish these quickly, you've already put them aside for nearly-"

"That's it!" Zaraki roared, standing up.

Kira gulped and dropped a couple of the scrolls while Yumichika backed away and Ikkaku got an excited grin on his face-- he knew what was coming.

Suddenly, Zaraki became calm, which frightened Kira even more. The leader grinned, "I'll make you a deal, boy."

"A deal?" Kira asked timidly, though his voice refused to waver. Despite his nature of avoiding eye contact with his superiors, Kira couldn't tear his gaze away from Kyuukaku's king.

"You and me, we'll battle," Ikkaku grinned even more while Yumichika adopted a hopeless face, "and if you win, I'll do the work."

Kira held his shaking body still, "And if I lose...?"

Zaraki only grinned wider.

* * *

In the midst of a cracked and barren land, a battlefield was constructed. Not that any portion of this literal hell couldn't be made into one, but Zaraki had taken a liking to a spot surrounded by crumbled buildings and ruins. As such, he had made it into his training ground and invited Kira there now. Naturally, Ikkaku and Yumichika followed-- Ikkaku to get a rise out of the battle and Yumichika with nothing better to do than follow his best friend around.

"Do you really expect it to be that interesting?" the black-haired soldier wondered, "It seems to me it will be terribly ugly."

"I've never seen the kid fight," Ikkaku told him, "I'm hoping for a surprise."

"Don't get your hopes up," Zaraki warned him, glancing to the servant at his side, "he looks pretty weak."

Kira said nothing until Ikkaku poked him with his spear, "Hey, can you fight?"

The blonde edged away from the weapon and glanced up to its wielder, "I've never had to fight seriously."

"That's a no," Ikkaku sighed, looking to his leader, "So if you know it'll be quick and boring, why are you bothering?"

"His father, Izuru-san, was a fine fighter; a natural-born warrior." Zaraki grinned again at the memory, "In his prime, he even gave me a run for my money."

"Really?" Ikkaku asked, "I had no idea."

"Too bad he's dead now," Zaraki shrugged. Kira looked as if he wanted to say something, but before the words could form, Zaraki stopped in front of his personal battlefield. "The rules are simple," he told Kira, "don't die."

The ruins were constructed so that they formed a wide, broken circle with the training grounds inside. Around the inner sides of the walls, various weapons were held up or sat on built-on shelves. Zaraki immediately walked over to the wall farthest from the entrance while Ikkaku and Yumichika took to sitting atop one of the lower-lying roofs.

Kira surveyed the area quickly, finding that there were few things to hide behind, unless you counted the boundaries themselves; he guessed it would count as a loss if he was forced outside of the ring. His attention then turned to the weapons lining the walls. He had no idea what kind of weapon he was best suited wielding as his father never taught him how to fight. Instead, he focused on what would be the most practical one.

_"Zaraki-sama is dangerous and impossible to fight head-on," _Kira thought, _"I know that just from seeing him. A bow, maybe?" _But projectile weapons tended to be weak if their wielder wasn't strong. He sent a glance to Ikkaku-- his double-bladed spear reached a pretty good distance and would be useful for not getting close to the war-monger. Deciding to go with a weapon like that, he looked around at the myriad of weapons again.

"Come on!" Zaraki yelled, impatiently, "What are you waiting for?"

Kira turned his attention to the man to see he was weighing a huge battle axe over his shoulder with the wildest grin on his face. Kira went wide-eyed for a moment before composing himself again and decidedly walking over to a certain weapon.

Zaraki chuckled as he watched his servant pluck a long halberd off the wall. Its blade forked out into two points at the end, but other than that, it was basically a pointy stick.

"What does he plan to do with that?" Ikkaku wondered, looking at his own weapon, "There's no way he thinks something like this could damage Zaraki-sama."

"At least he won't have to get too close to him to try and attack," Yumichika pointed out, "It's a survival tactic of the weak."

Ikkaku snickered and turned his attention back to the fight-- not that there would be much to watch once Zaraki got pumped up.

"I'm ready," Kira said softly, balancing the weight of the halberd in his hands a little awkwardly. He had held his father's sword a few times before, but this was completely different. He was afraid he'd be knocked off balance, but he knew that whatever he tried, the outcome of the fight would be the same.

"Then here I come!" Zaraki warned before dashing towards the blonde with surprising speed. He swung his axe down towards Kira, aiming for a kill right off the bat. His eyes lit up with excitement when the boy dodged out of the way just in time and practically dashed to the other end of the field.

Kira turned just in time to see Zaraki approaching him again. He held his halberd in a defensive position and blocked the oncoming assault, but found that Zaraki soon overpowered him. Noticing the axe's blade start to chip away at the wooden shaft of his weapon, Kira jumped back and crouched down, ready for the next attack.

Sure enough, Zaraki relentlessly hounded him, forcing Kira to keep on his feet if he wanted to survive. Every now and then, the blonde wouldn't be quite quick enough and he'd get nicked in the arm or cut across his leg. As the battle wore on, he felt his stamina dropping and his breathing getting heavier. He was covered in cuts, some small and some deeper, but he forced his body to keep moving.

After the next dodge, which nearly took the blonde's head off again, Zaraki frowned. "You won't win by running around the cage like a mouse!" he called out to the boy, who had once again retreated to the opposite side of the area.

"And I won't die by dodging your blows," Kira called back, though he wasn't sure that was completely true. Even with his speed (which was really nothing compared to Zaraki's), he wasn't sure he could keep up avoiding the axe blade for much longer.

"You'll run down much before I will," the king reminded him, "Come at me already and get it over with!"

Kira frowned, but had a feeling that the next barrage of attacks Zaraki let loose on him wouldn't be as gentle as the previous-- the axe-wielding man had been playing with him up until this point.

"Very well," he murmured to himself and crouched down in a fighting stance like he had seen other warriors do.

Zaraki laughed, "Now we're talking. Come on, let's see what you've got!"

Unsure of what he'd do when he got there, Kira charged forward towards his lord. He managed to dodge the few swipes of the axe that Zaraki sent his way, and before he knew it, he was mere feet away from the man. He stood, frozen and wide-eyed, for only a moment before his muscles reacted and he quickly thrust the halberd into the larger man's shoulder.

Ikkaku and Yumichika both sat up, watching the fight with mild interest at this point. It wasn't often that their lord allowed anyone to get close enough to him to cut him, let alone stab him like Kira had.

"Too bad he's only playing with him," Ikkaku sighed, "He just better not make _me _dig the grave again." Yumichika only smiled, amused, and continued to watch the scene of events below him.

What happened next, Kira wasn't sure could be real, but he knew that it felt real enough. He had thought for sure he'd gotten a decent blow in, but to his surprise, the king remained unharmed. He looked up to his lord with fear and confusion riddling his eyes.

Zaraki only grinned and batted the halberd away with one hand; the weapon flew from Kira's hands and skidded to a rest several yards away. "You'll have to try better than that if you want to beat me," he told the smaller boy. Not giving Kira a chance to respond, Zaraki swung his axe down and met its blade with Kira's side. With only a tiny movement of his wrist, he flung the body off the end of his weapon and sent it flying into one of the crumbling walls.

Kira stared straight ahead, sure that his death was approaching. Pain seared through his veins and his vision blurred. He had hit his head pretty hard and he knew the only warmth he was feeling was his own blood pooling around him. He frowned and closed his eyes, giving in to the darkness.

_"Damn... I'm still too weak to do a thing..."_

* * *

It had been high noon out when Kira and Zaraki fought their battle. Now, when Kira finally opened his cool, blue eyes, he found himself laying not on the hard ground, but in a soft bed. A quick run of fingers over his own body told him that his wounds had also been treated and bandaged.

_"Why didn't he kill me?" _he wondered, staring at the ceiling of his bedroom. The small window offered him the knowledge that several hours had passed and it was now nighttime. Kira knew that he had yet to accomplish his mission today. His mind flashed back to when he dropped the scrolls in Zaraki's study, _"I still need to convince him to complete that work." _Struggling to sit up, Kira finally pushed himself into an upright position. His head was woozy and pain rocketed through his body, but he forced himself to stand and walk out the door.

This time, the trek through the halls took a lot longer, seeing as how the blonde was barely limping along instead of racing through. He turned the same corner he had earlier that day when he ran into Ichinose, and yet again he nearly collided with a body. Quickly, though, he side-stepped the soldier and sighed with relief.

"What are you doing up?" Ikkaku asked, furrowing his brow at the boy, "I thought you'd be out for a couple days."

"It's surprising," Yumichika agreed, "but you really do need some rest. Where are you headed in a condition like that?"

"I still need to convince Zaraki-sama to complete his paperwork," Kira said, resolutely, "Even though he might not take me seriously, someone has to make sure he does it."

"And why have you taken that duty on yourself?" Yumichika asked him, smiling slightly, "Though, I will admit, your loyalty is quite beautiful."

The bald-headed soldier laughed, "You are a stubborn one, aren't you? Pointlessly so, even."

"It's not pointless," Kira objected, frowning.

"Don't worry about it," the vain boy told him, "Even though your defeat was anything but beautiful, Zaraki-sama has decided to comply with your request."

"He did?" At Ikkaku's confirming nod, Kira sighed once more with relief.

"So go back to bed," Yumichika suggested, "it would be hideous of you to die here in the hall because you exhausted yourself." Kira nodded and did his best to bow to the two, without stressing his wounds too much, before turning back down the hall.

"He's an amusing character, isn't he?" Ikkaku wondered, watching after the blonde.

"I like him," Yumichika decided, "he has nice eyes."

* * *

So, there's my second chapter. People don't seem too interested in this fic right now o.o, but I hope that will change. At least I got some feedback, and I hope anyone reading this gives me a bit more. I...also hope more people start to read it XD. It's a little disappointing, so far, but I'm not giving up on my precious fic quite yet!

I already thanked everyone who reviewed, but thanks again to Lady Charliie (my wonderful beta XD) and dnangel648 for reviewing!


	3. Kataku

As a reference point, and so you can know what all of these foreign words mean, I've listed Kataku's name and the name of the six kingdoms, their translations (at least, the translation I intended on using in this fiction), and their lord. Hope it's a bit helpful.

_Kataku: _This world of suffering

_Choukaku: _The sense of hearing (Ukitake)

_Shikaku: _The sense of sight (Hitsugaya)

_Mikaku_: The sense of taste (Byakuya)

_Kyuukaku: _The sense of smell (Zaraki)

_Shokkaku:_ The sense of touch (Aizen)

_Kan: _The sixth sense (Ichimaru)

* * *

_**Kataku**_

_Chapter Three: Kataku_

* * *

_"Such a peaceful day again," _Ukitake thought, smiling softly at the fluttering breeze. It was the middle of summer, but the constant breezes in the Kingdom of Choukaku kept it cool through the summer months. The fragile leader was sitting on his front porch, surveying the world as if it were a play-- every rustle of leaves was a secret dance and each sound of nature was a hidden melody that could only be seen and heard by those who took the time to look for it.

Close by was the trusted and respected second-in-command, Hisagi Shuuhei. The punk-looking young man had been quiet ever since he joined his lord in the back yard of the Choukaku's castle. He found these silences nearly as calming and enjoyable as talking with the long-haired man, so he always waited for Ukitake to speak first. Eventually, he always did, and today was no exception.

"It will be Ichimaru-san's birthday again soon," Ukitake whispered, his voice as gentle and soft as the wind that carried it to Hisagi's ears.

"He'll be twenty this year, right?" Hisagi couldn't manage to keep his voice from sounding rough compared to his lord's, but he didn't try to mask it, either-- he needed to hide nothing in this peaceful land.

Ukitake nodded and kept his serene smile on, "It's remarkable how he's managed to cope with all that's happened in five short years."

"I heard he won a battle against the Kyuukaku," Hisagi remarked, "He's done well to come so far in such a short time."

"Well," another voice said, completely ruining the content mood of the two, "he had an excellent teacher."

"Urahara-san," Ukitake greeted, looking up to see the sandy-haired man approach them.

Said man bowed to his lord and took a seat on his left, as Hisagi had already claimed the right, "How are you today, Ukitake-sama?"

"I'm well," he assured the older one, then fell into another silence, this time a less-peaceful expression on his face.

"Ukitake-dono?" Hisagi asked immediately, concerned about his ill lord.

"I was only thinking," the white-haired man chided, "about where Yoruichi-san could be."

Hisagi knew, at the mention of the name, to let his lord and Urahara discuss the topic on their own. As such, he fell silent and returned to watching the secret play in the wind Ukitake had told him about many years ago.

"I wonder where she is," the palest of the three repeated.

Urahara became solemn as well and looked towards the surrounding forest, "I honestly don't know."

* * *

Waves crashed against a tall cliff, spraying their salty droplets of water up several feet and nearly tickling a pair of feet dangled over the side of the cliff. Hitsugaya watched the ocean's waves collide with each other, fold upon themselves, and burst up once again with renewed effort.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Matsumoto asked, approaching the young ruler from behind.

"Yeah," he agreed, not turning to look as she sat next to him.

"Even though it's the only ocean in Kataku, it's still very pretty."

Kataku was the name their world had been given by those that first inhabited it. It contained not much water at all, and the single ocean that graced the otherwise barren world with its presence belonged solely to the Kingdom of Shikaku that Hitsugaya Toushirou ruled over. Of the six kingdoms, the Kingdom of Shikaku was by far the smallest in land mass, but they made great prosperity due to their valuable source of the clear liquid.

"It's even more so because of that fact," he corrected her, his teal-green eyes never wavering from the ever-changing ocean.

Sensing that the conversation was getting too heavy (as it often did when she spoke with her lord), Matsumoto shoved a plate in front of his face. She only grinned as the white-haired boy glanced questioningly at the slices of watermelon set before him, then to her.

"Eat up," she suggested. Hitsugaya didn't need to be told twice as he snatched a slice off the plate and began eating it. Matsumoto watched him, smiling slightly to herself as he devoured piece after piece.

Noticing the grin, Hitsugaya paused, "What's that look for?"

"Nothing, nothing," she assured him, waving a hand, "I was only thinking how lucky I am to have such a cute leader."

The miniature boy glared and began chomping down on his meal again, "I am," chomp, "not," chomp, chomp, "cute!" The grind was discarded and another slice was attacked.

Matsumoto smiled wider and stifled a laugh as she turned her attention to the ocean, sparkling in the rising sun.

* * *

_"Damn, how long is this hall?" _Renji wondered to himself. Then again, he wondered that every time he had to go see his leader. He swore the hallway that led to the throne room was at least half the length of the castle itself, but he had been told repeatedly that it was no longer than any other hall in the place. _"Like hell," _he thought.

Finally, he reached the door and knocked briefly before entering. Automatically, he folded himself into a bow, "Kuchiki-sama."

Byakuya glanced at the redhead from behind his desk, his cold eyes surveying the boy's disheveled appearance. His hair was let down, as it was when he slept, and his eyes were still blurry from sleep. Perhaps he should have waited until morning, after all.

"Why am I here?" Renji asked after several moments of tense silence. He was sure he had done something wrong for his ruler to call him at such an hour.

"I saw you with Rukia yesterday," he told the boy, coldly. As expected, he watched as Renji tensed under his condescending look.

"Kuchiki-sama, that was an accident!" the green-eyed second-in-command said, desperately.

The previous day, Renji and Rukia had been taking a walk through the Kingdom of Mikaku's countryside. As she always did, Rukia led Renji to one of the few lakes that their land had. The two got to talking and, as usual, Renji said something that annoyed Rukia. The heir to the throne shoved her childhood friend into the lake, but not before being pulled in with him. The result was two drowned rats wringing out their hair and glaring at each other.

"I don't care if it was an accident or not," Byakuya informed him, closing his eyes, "However, I must warn you..."

Renji tensed even more, "Really, I can explain-!"

The noble's eyes snapped open and froze Renji to the spot, "If you have any intentions with my sister, be sure you are prepared to be married."

Renji's eyes grew wide as he let the meaning of the words sink in. He stammered for a few minutes before bowing again, "If you will, excuse me, Kuchiki-sama." Without waiting for a real response, the redhead turned on his heel and dashed out of the dangerous room and back down the hall.

* * *

The soft sound of pen scratching across paper was the only sound that filled the library-esque room. Books were piled up on shelves all around and the only real furniture in the elaborate study was an oak table that sat next to a large window overlooking the castle courtyard. Aizen paused in his writing to look out the window, pondering which words to use next.

His train of thought was interrupted by a soft knock at his door. A quiet 'come in' revealed Hinamori poking her head through the small space. Upon seeing Aizen, she smiled and pushed the door open fully, bowing to her leader.

"Aizen-sama, I was hoping-" she stopped herself when she caught a glimpse of his letter, "Oh, I didn't mean to interrupt, should I come back later?"

"Don't worry about it," Aizen told her, a soft smile gracing his face. He motioned next to him and the young girl obediently sat on the floor by his side. They continued that way for a while, until Aizen's curiosity got the best of him. "Was there some reason you came here?"

Hinamori kept her eyes trained on the floor space in front of her and slowly she shook her head with an apologetic smile. "Not really," she confessed, "I'm not sure why I came. I just felt like I wanted to be near you." She paused for a moment and lost the cheer in her voice, "I feel like something bad is going to happen soon."

"Something bad?" Aizen repeated before placing a hand on her head. He smiled again at her startled reaction, "It's just your imagination. Nothing has changed here and nothing will. Our paradise is one that will never end."

A small blush rose to Hinamori's cheeks as she nodded and smiled again, "Thank you, Aizen-sama."

* * *

So, just a quick little chapter on the rest of the lords of Kataku and some of their subordinates and relationships. I personally enjoy Ukitake's little group, but that's just me XD. Also, I changed the summary a little bit, though I'm not sure how that affects any of you who are already reading the fic o.o. Next chapter we'll get back into the plot and finally get some action going on! Hope you enjoyed, and as always, feedback is appreciated!


	4. Welcome to the Kingdom of Kan

_**Kataku**_

_Chapter Four: Welcome to the Kingdom of Kan_

* * *

_"How is it I find myself in front of this door so often?" _Kira wondered as he lightly rapped his knuckles against the wooden door of Zaraki's study. When a gruff 'come in' was uttered from the other side, Kira slipped into the room and immediately bent into a bow.

"What is it now?" Zaraki asked, looking thoroughly bored. Ikkaku and Yumichika were nearby, looking equally as unamused.

"You've had three days now," Kira informed him, "is your paperwork done yet?"

"Paperwork?" Zaraki muttered to himself. "Oh, that stuff," he waved a hand towards a pile of scrolls on his desk, "I had it done in a few hours."

Kira sweatdropped and approached the desk to collect the work, "I see, then I'll just ta-" He froze in mid-sentence when Zaraki's large hand clasped around his wrist.

"You're still beat up?" he wondered, his good eye scanning Kira's small form.

Mentally edging away from the wandering eye, Kira shook his head. "My injuries are healing fine. I won't be a burden to anyone, so there's no need to worry."

"You were a burden before Zaraki-sama handed your ass to you," Ikkaku pointed out casually. There wasn't a hint of sarcasm in his voice, just simple truth.

Noticing Kira's deflated expression, Yumichika sighed. "You don't need to be useful to be beautiful."

Ikkaku and Zaraki rolled their eyes in unison, and Kira took that opportunity to break away from his lord's grasp. He gathered the scrolls in his arms, carefully balancing them as he had done before, and gave another, more awkward, bow. "I'll take my leave now," he said quickly, and before anyone could object, he fled the room.

"He's a skittish one, isn't he?" Ikkaku grinned.

"Maybe, but he is kind of amusing," Zaraki chuckled.

* * *

_Clink, clink_.

Silence.

_Clink, clink_.

Silence.

_Clink._

Ichimaru set his silverware down and wiped his mouth. A satisfied grin swept over his face as Ichigo entered the dining hall through a door behind him.

"Ichimaru-sama," the carrot-top announced, "the reward for your victory over the Kingdom of Kyuukaku should be arriving within a few days."

"I ain't real interested in rewards like that," Ichimaru told his second-in-command. "I'd rather not accept it."

Ichigo sighed, guessing something like this would happen, and sat at his lord's side. "Even if you don't want it, it's best to accept it. Denying a gift from a lord you just defeated in battle is in bad taste and might even spark another battle."

The silver-haired lord nodded. "Well, I wouldn't want t' do a thing like that, now, would I?"

"So you'll go to accept the reward, then?" Ichigo pressed, knowing his luck would run short soon-- Ichimaru wasn't an agreeable man, to say the least.

"Surely you can take care of something like that, can't you?" The grin that Ichigo received with the inquiry gave him a headache.

"Ichimaru-sama, you should really go to accept it yourself. It's bad manners not to show up to something like that, and Zaraki-san will probably think you're mocking him."

"Well, let's be honest, Ichigo, Zaraki-san wasn't even there in the battle," Ichimaru pointed out, "so maybe I am mocking him a little."

"But, Ichimaru-sama..."

"What's the problem now?"

Ichigo sighed again "You weren't there, either."

Ichimaru lost his grin in a moment of thought before smiling again. "Well, that's true, ain't it? Alright, Ichigo, ya won this round. I'll go meet Zaraki-san when he comes, but only because I don't think ya'd let me hear the end of it if I didn't."

Satisfied, Ichigo stood and bowed. "I'll let you know when he's due to come." Ichimaru nodded and dismissed the orange-haired boy.

* * *

"Come in," Zaraki grunted. It was much later and the sun had set again on the Kingdom of Kyuukaku. After only a little contemplation, he had called Kira to his office.

Sure enough, the blonde stuck his head in the door. "You wanted to see me?" he asked, slipping himself into the room as if he weren't going to be noticed. He had always done that-- sliding in and out of places like a shadow, hoping not to be seen.

"Sit down," Zaraki ordered, his attitude much colder from the one he had earlier. When he had asked about Kira's wounds, he seemed borderline compassionate, but now he was back to his old self.

Obeying, Kira nodded and sat in the chair facing his lord's desk. He watched Zaraki carefully for a few moments. _"Have I done something wrong? It's odd for him to call on me like this, especially when I thought he'd already be joining Ikkaku for something to drink."_

"As I'm sure you know, our kingdom lost a battle to the Kingdom of Kan recently." He didn't seem as upset about it anymore, but his tone was low, so Kira knew not to question it. "As such, I'm required, by the rules of war, to send my victor, Ichimaru, a gift."

"What does any of this have to do with me?" Kira wondered, figuring Zaraki wanted him to make the trek to Kan to deliver the gift. Even though it was proper to deliver such a reward yourself, Kira didn't imagine Zaraki was that formal about it.

"I've decided that the gift I will send is you, Kira." Zaraki's eyes showed no compassion or understanding for what the boy might possibly be going through, what life he might possibly have.

"Wh-what?" the blonde asked, wide-eyed, "Why are you...?" He trailed off; the look his lord was giving him told him that questioning the matter was absolutely futile. Still, he couldn't help but feel he was being treated unfairly. "Why me?" he asked. "Why am I the one being sent away? Why was I the one to be taken from his home after his parents were murdered for no reason?" It had been a question he had been dying to ask Zaraki for ages, but every time he looked the man in the eye, he lost his will. Now, though, if he was never going to get another chance, he wanted to know. "Why did you send out that order, Zaraki-sama?"

Kira had been faithful to him, despite the horrible things he'd put the boy through. He knew he was perhaps in the wrong for troubling the teen so much, but what was done had been done. Zaraki chose to avoid Kira's desperate gaze and instead looked out the window. "We'll be leaving in the morning, make your final preparations now and say goodbye to anyone if you wish."

A frown covered Kira's lips and as he bowed (for perhaps the last time) to his lord. He couldn't help but think that Zaraki was planning something more. _"He can't be treating me this badly for no reason," _he thought, _"I haven't done anything to him... am I just that easy to pick on?" _Deciding he didn't want an answer to that, Kira left the office to think over his fate and console himself for the coming events.

* * *

The moon happened to be wide and bright that night, casting an ethereal glow on the otherwise hellish kingdom. It bathed Kira in a soft light that brought out the paleness in his features and made him look like something that had descended from the heavens. He watched the moon curiously, wondering if it, too, had had such a hard time when it started life out.

"Why me?" he asked the large rock in the sky. After a couple hours of thought, Kira realized he wasn't depressed about leaving, but he was certainly sad to say goodbye to everything he had known. It had only been a little over five years since he was brought to Zaraki's castle, but he had grown fond (in a weird, twisted way) of his lord and the others there. Even Ichinose, who had barely said three words to him the entire time he'd been there.

"Zaraki-sama must like you or something," a voice told him, startling him from his thoughts. "He wouldn't pay this much attention to anyone else of your status."

Kira glanced over his shoulder towards the garden's entrance to the castle, "Yumichika-san." He looked on either side of the boy. "Where's Ikkaku-san?"

The black-haired boy smiled as a greeting and approached the servant. "We're not inseparable, you know." Though it was only because Ikkaku had resigned himself to drinking that he wasn't at Yumichika's side.

Yumichika sat next to Kira on the lone bench that was surrounded by the castle's garden. It was a small garden, to say the least; barely a nook in the large expanse of the stone structure. However, it was more than enough for one or two people to sit and enjoy its beauty. It largely consisted of plants and vines that crawled up the castle's walls and a simple stone path led to a singular swing, which was also (not surprisingly) covered in vines. The few flowers that had been planted and raised were large and bright, making it look like there was more in vision than there actually was. With the limited supply of water in Kyuukaku, Zaraki had done his best with limited supplies. The resulting look was more akin to a rainforest than a garden, but it seemed to suit the lord and his subordinates just fine.

"So you've heard?" Kira assumed. There would be no other reason for Yumichika to join him otherwise.

A simple nod answered that question. "You never get settled anywhere for long, do you?" It wasn't pity that Yumichika was offering, just a shoulder to cry on, so to speak.

"I don't want to leave," the blue-eyed boy confessed, casting his gaze downward and leaning forward to rest his arms on his knees. "I like it here with Zaraki-sama, you and Ikkaku-san, even Ichinose-san."

Yumichika offered the servant a smile and lightly patted his back. "If there were something I could do to stop such an ugly thing from happening, I would," he told him, "but to question Zaraki-sama means to fight with him." As much as Yumichika hung around Ikkaku, and as skilled as he might be with a sword, he considered fighting (especially a losing battle) extremely unattractive.

"Thanks," Kira whispered, "I appreciate you being here." Even if it was only for a few years, Yumichika had always lent Kira an ear to listen to his grievances, even if it wasn't necessary. He sat up straight again and glanced to the soldier. "You're really the only one here I want to say goodbye to."

The older one smiled slightly again and looked up to the moon that Kira had been fascinated with earlier. "If Ikkaku and I ever get the chance, we'll come see you in your new home."

Kira knew as soon as those words were spoken that he would cling to them as a continual source of hope and that he would await the day he saw Yumichika again.

* * *

The day after and the next, Kira and Zaraki spent traveling north to the Kingdom of Kan. The Kingdom of Kyuukaku was located to the far south with only the Kingdom of Shokkaku, which Aizen-san ruled over, being further down on the map. There were two ways to reach Kan from Kyuukaku: go directly north, through the Kingdom of Shikaku, and reach the south tip of Kan by ship, or travel by land the entire way through a roundabout route crossing through either the west (Mikaku) or the east (Choukaku). The latter path took a little longer, but was more convenient considering only Hitsugaya-san of Shikaku owned any ships that could cross the Kataku Ocean.

Not surprisingly, Zaraki chose to travel around Shikaku and its ocean through Ukitake's kingdom, Choukaku, and three days after they departed, the pair reached the Kingdom of Kan. Luckily, Ichimaru's castle was located in the south of Kan (the northern points being too cold to sustain life or any vegetation), and it only took them an extra half a day to reach their destination after crossing the border. Though, that was anyone's best guess, as the Kingdom of Kan was shrouded in near-eternal night. The complete opposite of the Kingdom of Shokkaku, Kan only saw sunlight for 24 hours out of every 168.

When Zaraki's carriage finally pulled up in front of the castle, he was restless and sore. They had taken few breaks, riding nearly straight through, and when he emerged from his movable prison, his muscles were tense. He looked up the ivory steps to see Ichimaru waiting for him with Ichigo at his side.

"Here goes nothing," he muttered to himself, and stepped fully out into the shadowy kingdom.

"Zaraki-san," Ichimaru greeted, a pleasant (or unpleasant, depending on who you were in the situation) grin on his face. He made the effort to walk down the steps, Ichigo in tow, to come mere meters away from Zaraki. "How are you doing today?"

"Day?" Zaraki asked, casting a glance up at the blackened sky, which held no moon or stars, but a different source of light. Above their heads was a canopy of glittering black dust that shimmered from the light of Shokkaku's sun. The two Anchor Kingdoms, in fact, were a world of their own, set apart from the Inner Kingdoms of Mikaku, Choukaku, Kyuukaku, and Shikaku. Spells set in place long before their time made the two separate worlds seem as one, and made travel possible between the six countries. The constant reminder of the eternal night and day of the Anchor Kingdoms, however, was never forgotten, even by those with a normal moon and sun.

"Tonight, then," Ichimaru corrected himself. He left the next words to Zaraki, pressing him to finish his business and go as quickly as possible.

"Kira," Zaraki called, glancing over his shoulder towards the carriage. A moment later, the blonde emerged, looking as down-trodden as ever, and joined his (soon to be previous) lord. Zaraki motioned to the boy and looked to Ichimaru. "This is your gift." His eyes traced over Ichimaru's face, daring him to refuse.

Ichimaru's seldom-seen frown immediately took hold over his face, but before he could say a word, Ichigo hissed in his ear. "Just accept it, you don't want another battle with this guy on your hands." Ichigo knew, as well as Ichimaru, that they got lucky in the last round. Especially since Ichimaru's orders to attack last time were on a whim and a 'gut feeling' he had.

Casually letting his smile back, Ichimaru nodded his acceptance. "I'll take good care of 'im."

Zaraki sent a glance to Kira and grabbed the boy by his upper arm before he could leave. "Make a fool out of me or Kyuukaku and I'll make sure to kill you."

Kira watched, wide-eyed, as the Kyuukaku lord left as quickly as he had came. All of a sudden, he was stranded in a place he didn't know with people he was sure not to like. It had been a miracle that he met Yumichika when he did, but miracles only happen once in a lifetime. He turned to face Ichimaru, fear gripping him, only to find that his new leader was already headed back inside his castle. He went to catch up before he noticed Ichigo, who hadn't moved from his spot, and kept hazel-brown eyes trained on him.

As Kira relaxed back into the spot he had yet to move from, Ichigo raised a welcoming hand. "My name's Kurosaki Ichigo, I'm Ichimaru-sama's second-in-command."

Kira nodded slowly, trying to figure out if the brightly-haired boy's kindness was genuine or as fake as his lord's smile seemed to be. "Kira Izuru," he introduced himself with a small bow.

Ichigo watched the blonde for a moment, amused at his formality. "I didn't expect someone from the Kingdom of Kyuukaku to be so polite," he admitted. Without waiting for a response, he headed back up the stairs, motioning for Kira to follow. "Well, either way, welcome."

* * *

Not too much to comment on in this chapter. Oh, I hope I didn't confuse anyone with the geography... I tried to word it well, but I don't know if I did a good job or not XD. I like Kira and Yumichika's little relationship, I wish I'd put more in, now that I think about it. There is a bit more of that in coming chapters, though. Let's see, let's see... oh yes, Zaraki's little choice XD. That will become apparent why he did it in later chapters, so it's not just a whim, and it's not just a way for me to get Kira with Ichimaru. Though...it did work out very conveniently. On another note, I'm a dunce for not thanking every who reviewed the second chapter, though I think I did send out replies to everyone o.o. I hope I did... Anyway, thanks to these people who reviewed the second and third chapters:

Lady Charliie, Hair Noodles, xpink cloudx, ChaoticMayhem, and LovelessDestiny. Thanks for reviewing!


	5. A Note From Aizen

_**Kataku**_

_Chapter Five: A Note From Aizen_

* * *

"And this is the second floor, where your room will be..." Ichigo looked around the familiar settings before looking back to Kira. He had been given the task of showing the newcomer around and had cleared most of the vital areas-- bathrooms, dining hall, library, and so on. As they ascended the cream-carpeted staircase, Kira right behind Ichigo, the soldier quickly stepped to the right. "Watch that spot right there," he warned, "there's a dip in the staircase that Ichimaru-sama still hasn't-" He was stopped by a soft grunt and an accompanying groan. From the sounds of things, Kira hadn't watched where he was going.

Turning around, Ichigo confirmed his suspicions and sighed. He walked the few steps back to the blonde and helped him up. "Sorry," Kira said, sheepishly, "I wasn't really paying attention."

"I don't blame you," Ichigo sympathized, "I'm sure you have a lot going on in your head right now. Just stick the tour out for a little while longer and you'll be able to... hey, are you okay?" He had helped Kira back up, but noticed the boy was clutching at his side with a grimace marring his features.

"Fine," Kira assured him, mentally cursing himself for still being injured. He would have thought almost a week's time would give him enough rest since he hadn't strained himself since the fight, but his regeneration levels seemed as weak as his fighting skills.

"You're hurt," Ichigo stated, giving Kira a look that said he knew better. "What happened?"

Kira sighed. "Zaraki-sama had paperwork he needed to do, and he said in order to convince him to do it, I had to beat him in a fight."

Ichigo frowned at this. "What kind of leader would make a deal like that with someone they knew wasn't capable of winni-" he once again was stopped in mid-sentence, but this time by his own means, "Uh... not that I don't think you're capable or anything..."

For the first time since he arrived, Kira smiled a little. "That's alright, and you're right, I didn't have a chance."

"So why'd you agree, then?" Ichigo wasn't the most reasonable person in the world, but if he didn't even possess enough strength to become a soldier, he doubted he would try and fight a lord-- especially Zaraki.

Why _had _he agreed? He knew there was no way he could stand up against Zaraki, but yet he felt obligated to. He simply shrugged. "I guess because I was put in charge of making sure Zaraki-sama got done everything he needed to."

_"But to go to such extremes," _Ichigo thought, _"and he still says Zaraki's name with a respect and fondness." _He was slightly worried that Kira wouldn't come around to view Ichimaru as his own lord any time soon, but at the same time, he couldn't blame him. If someone asked him to call anyone but Ichimaru his ruler, he'd probably laugh in their face.

"What kind of a person is Ichimaru-san?" Kira asked, obviously not showing as great a respect for his new lord as his previous one.

"He's not someone you want to get close to," Ichigo stated, much to Kira's surprise. He chuckled. "What? You expected me to say something else?"

"I'd have thought someone so close to him would say good things about him," Kira admitted, "maybe even if they weren't true." He knew, first hand, that fondness could dull your senses, but it seemed Ichigo hadn't been fooled by his king's smile.

"Ichimaru-sama isn't very stable," the soldier warned, "and he pulls people very close to him only to push them away. I've been through that cycle with him at least a dozen times, and will probably go through it a dozen times more."

Kira studied the boy in front of him. "Doesn't that bother you any?" If it were him, he doubted he could take such mental stress; perhaps he wouldn't last long here, after all.

"Not really," Ichigo admitted. "I know he doesn't mean anything personal by it, even though every time he does it, it catches me off guard and ends up making me pissed," he laughed slightly, "but I don't hold it against him; to be honest, I feel bad for him."

Kira understood. "He must have grown up pretty badly to be like that." At Ichigo's agreement, the blue-eyed boy shook his head. "None of it will matter much, though."

Ichigo glanced behind him as Kira stood up straight again, signaling that he was fine to continue walking. Starting up the steps again, he asked, "why's that?"

Kira watched his feet carefully from that point on, only glancing up to Ichigo's back every now and then to make sure the orange-haired boy was still there. "Well," he began, looking back to the floor again, "I think most people try to avoid me anyway, since I don't give off a very friendly countenance, and I doubt Ichimaru-san will bother with me because of that."

Ichigo said nothing, but continued looking straight ahead. He felt like he should warn Kira that Ichimaru tended to pick on those he thought would succumb easily to threats or taunts, but knew from experience that it wouldn't make a difference either way.

* * *

After being shown around the castle (which seemed smaller, but more complex than Zaraki's), Kira was bid goodnight and left in front of a door that he could only assume was his new room. He pushed the door open and walked in, immediately flipping the lights on. He stared, for what must have been ten minutes, at the large room in front of him. He was sure Ichigo had made a mistake, but there was no way to clarify at this point; still, why would a simple servant like him have such a huge room?

Decorated in light, calm colors, the room consisted of a large bed, two bay windows, a dresser, a closet large enough to walk in, a desk with a mirror attached, and another, body-length mirror near the closet. The bed had to have been three times the size of the one in his old room, and instead of scratchy, dingy linen, it was dressed in soft cotton colored a happy peach color. The curtains were sheer and a light blue-aqua to match the sheets while the floors were a clean, light oak to match the rest of the woodwork.

As Kira sat on his new bed (which felt like a cloud to him), though, he couldn't help but notice that, as bright and cheery as this place was decorated, outside it was still dark and cold. That chill crept even into the warmest fabrics and left the servant (if that indeed was what he still was) feeling empty. The entire place reminded him of a large prison with a few newly-replaced appliances and a paint job: It looked pretty, but still felt unwelcoming and dangerous.

After the shock of the room left his body, Kira's mind was left to wander. Naturally, it arrived at only one place: Yumichika and the rest back in Kyuukaku. He wondered, over and over, if anyone there even noticed his absence (besides Yumichika, of course), and why Zaraki had chosen him of everyone in the kingdom. Had he not been useful enough? Had he done something to annoy the king? Zaraki hadn't seemed to bear him any ill will, yet everything pointed to the assumption that his previous leader really didn't like him.

A knock on his door startled the blonde and he pondered on what may await him on the other side. Slowly, he stood from his bed and crossed the room, placing a hand lightly on the doorknob. Was it Ichigo again? Or, for some reason, Ichimaru? Who else would know he's here so soon? In one, fluid motion, he swung the door open to reveal a boy he knew he'd never met before. The blue-haired child looked very young, and a little timid, but there was something in his eyes that told Kira he was no pushover.

The boy bowed and introduced himself. "My name is Yamada Hanatarou, I was sent by Kurosaki-san to tend to your wounds."

"I thought I told him I was fine," Kira said, running a hand through his own hair, "it's no problem."

"Please, let me just take care of your injuries," Hanatarou pleaded. He both wanted to make sure the new boy was alright and avoid getting in any trouble it might cause to deny Ichigo's order. He stepped forward and placed a hand on Kira's shoulder, which immediately caused the blonde to tense and pull away.

"I said I'm fine," he repeated, watching Hanatarou carefully. He wasn't sure what this kid was capable of, or why he was so persistent, but he did know he didn't want anyone touching him.

"I'm just trying to follow my orders, and you're hurt. You won't get better if you don't get treated."

"I was already treated in Kyuukaku, so I'm fine."

"But Kurosaki-san said that-"

"My, my," a new voice said, interrupting the two's banter, "I never met someone so persistent against treatment."

"Ichimaru-sama," Hanatarou murmured, bowing to the older one.

"Now, Hanatarou-kun, let's not make our new addition feel uncomfortable," Ichimaru suggested, looking to the topic of discussion. "Why don't ya let him take a look at your wounds, Kira-kun?"

Something about the way Ichimaru said his name made both Kira's stomach turn and his nerves rattle. He was way too friendly with someone he didn't even know yet. Wary of disagreeing, Kira silently obliged and slipped his shirt off. Taking advantage of the situation, Hanatarou immediately unwrapped the bandages that were quickly becoming blood-soaked and discarded them in a bag he had brought with him.

"Some of these cuts are pretty deep," Hanatarou mumbled, half to himself, as he opened up a small medical kit and began cleaning the wounds.

Kira hissed at the stinging sensation and Ichimaru watched over the scene, his smile never wavering. "I must wonder, Kira-kun, what kind of leader Zaraki-san is to beat up his servant like that."

"Zaraki-sama is a perfectly fine leader," Kira immediately jumped to Zaraki's defense.

"Oh?" Ichimaru's grin widened just a little. "To me, Zaraki-san seems like a demon of men. I don't think I could ever get along with someone like that."

Kira gritted his teeth, restraining himself from attacking the grinning man. Instead, his words shot out like bullets. "At least he isn't a two-faced creep."

Hanatarou froze in mid-action and quickly darted his eyes from Kira to Ichimaru, ready to dodge out of the way in case the two started getting a little physical. Much to his relief (and dread for Kira's future), Ichimaru simply kept a smile up and waved a hand before leaving the two alone.

Hanatarou breathed a sigh of relief. "If you don't want to be on his bad side, I wouldn't say things like that again."

"Why not?" Kira demanded, frowning. "It's true, isn't it?" He remembered what Ichigo had told him earlier about Ichimaru's instability and decided it was for the best to be the one pushing _him _away. "Besides, I don't care if I'm on his bad side or not."

Hanatarou silently finished dressing Kira's wounds before gathering everything he had brought in and stood up. "My room is right down the hall, so if you need anything, I'll be happy to help."

Kira studied the young boy for a minute before nodding. "Alright, thanks, Hanatarou-kun." When the brunette didn't immediately leave, Kira raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"Nothing," the younger one said quickly, smiling, "you're just the only one besides Ichimaru-sama that calls me by my full name."

Kira blinked. "What does everyone else call you?"

"Hana, they say 'Hanatarou' is too hard to remember." Before Kira could ask him what significance any of that held, he bowed and left the blonde to himself.

Laying back on the bed, Kira sighed-- he was exhausted and too much had happened today. He hoped Ichimaru, at the very least, led a less eventful life than Zaraki.

* * *

Teal-green eyes stared hard at a soldier kneeling before him. "What is it?" Hitsugaya asked in a cold voice. He wouldn't have been so harsh except the white bandana around the soldier's arm signified that he was from the Kingdom of Shokkaku, a country Shikaku was known to have conflicts with.

"Hitsugaya-sama, sir," the soldier said in a curt voice before handing him a scroll, "a letter for you, directly from Aizen-sama."

Frowning, the white-haired leader took the scroll before flicking his eyes back to the soldier. "Is that all?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then you can go." He watched as the man stood and bowed before dashing off the way he had come not five minutes before. Hitsugaya idly wondered if Aizen had made his messenger run all the way, but couldn't be concerned with that at the moment. He studied the scroll before slowly unraveling it. As his eyes scanned over the words written, they widened and his breath caught in his throat.

"This is..."

* * *

Cliffhanger. I love them so much when writing XD. I'm sure you can guess a million wild ideas as to what Aizen has to say to Hitsugaya, but I won't leave you in anticipation for too long (o.o, is anyone still reading this, anyway?). Next chapter will be a dip from the plot and more character bonding... if I remember correctly XD. I want to admit something, as horrible as it is. I love reviews T-T. I do. It won't make me update any slower if I don't get as many, but it does make me happy XD. So, I want to thank these people, and urge you all to join in, for their support:

blitzkrieg demolition girl, Lady Charliie, DarogaDaae, and Hair Noodles. Thanks for reviewing!


	6. The Allies Mikaku and Choukaku

_**Kataku**_

_Chapter Six: The Allies Mikaku and Choukaku_

* * *

One by one, Byakuya dragged himself through the dubious task of finishing his work that he had put aside for a hideous length of time. Glancing at the stack on his desk, he wondered how he had let it get so out of control. So, he committed himself for the whole day to finishing the mountain of work, and was beyond irritated when a knock at the door kept him from starting.

"Come in." His frustration seemed to melt away at the man on the other side of the door--sickly and gentle as ever, Ukitake raised a hand in greeting.

"I'm very sorry for the sudden visit, Byakuya," he said right off the bat, "I hope I'm not interrupting."

"Not at all," the fair-featured king said, only slightly miffed about the lack of respect Ukitake used. He knew, though, that it was only because the Choukaku lord felt so close to him, and he would admit that the feelings were mutual.

Getting straight to the point, as he knew Byakuya would appreciate, Ukitake sat down in the chair in front of the lord's desk. "I came here to ask you a question."

"What sort of question is so important that you'd come all the way here to ask?" Byakuya wondered. Choukaku and Mikaku were quite a distance apart and he knew Ukitake was often sick.

After a moment of consideration on how to word his inquiry, Ukitake spoke. "Have you received a letter from Aizen-san recently?"

Byakuya sat up a little straighter and furrowed his brow. He motioned to the stack of scrolls on his desk. "I haven't had the chance to go through anything yet, and I've let my work pile up... Juushirou," the informality _did _go both ways, "why would you think I'd receive a letter from Aizen?"

Ukitake hesitated again before handing his ally a scroll. "I received this two days ago."

Slowly, Byakuya unraveled the scroll and read it aloud to himself. "Dear Ukitake-san, this is a friendly warning. I, Aizen Sousuke, will be leading an attack on the Kingdom of Kan with the full force of mine and my ally's strength no later than a week from today." Byakuya read over the note a few times, making sure he hadn't missed anything. Finally, he frowned. "Why would he send something like this to Ichimaru's ally?"

"I don't know," the pale lord sighed. "Byakuya, I apologize for asking, since I know you dislike getting involved in wars, but-"

"I'll assist you however you need," the black-haired man assured him. "After so many years of us being friends, you should know you don't need to ask."

Hearing the usually-stoic man say such kind words brought a smile to Ukitake's face. "Thank you." He stood to leave and turned just before walking out the door. "I'll keep you informed on anything that comes up." Byakuya nodded in agreement and Ukitake departed, much less stressed than when he arrived.

* * *

As he stepped out into the warm summer air, Ukitake closed his eyes and let the wind wrap itself around him and sift through his hair. His mind raced back to the day he and Byakuya met.

_**Flashback**_

_A young Ukitake with shorter, shaggy hair was found sitting under a tall oak tree near a park. He watched as the other children played games and ran around, laughing, a strong desire to be running with them coursing through his veins. However, his frail body couldn't keep up with their pace, and he knew that he would end up hospitalized, or worse. So, instead, he stuck to his solitary spot and opted for watching those that might be his friends play with each other._

_A shadow cast over him and he immediately looked up to see a pretty girl standing over him. She wore expensive-looking clothes and Ukitake knew she must be from a rich family._

_"What are you doing here all alone?" she asked. For a young girl, she had a very firm voice._

_Nonetheless, Ukitake smiled at her. "I'm too ill to exert much energy, so I can't play with the other children." He then gave her a curious look. "What about you? A pretty girl like yourself shouldn't have trouble making friends."_

_Byakuya narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. "I'm not a girl," he informed the brown-eyed boy, "and I prefer to stay alone."_

_Ukitake's faced flushed and he rubbed his head, "I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to offend you." He blinked as the black-haired boy sat down next to him. "You're staying, even though I called you a girl?"_

_Byakuya cast him a glance that said such a thing happened often. "You reminded me of myself, sitting there alone, so I thought you would make good company."_

_"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you," Ukitake offered his hand, "My name is Ukitake Juushirou."_

_The other boy shook the frail hand. "Kuchiki Byakuya, a pleasure."_

_Ukitake blinked and immediately blushed again. "Kuchiki? That means you're Kuchiki-san's son?" He had heard all about the lord of Mikaku and his respectable family, but never imagined he'd meet one at a park._

_Byakuya nodded. "Though, I must wonder what a child all the way from Choukaku is doing here."_

_"I'm taking a trip with my mother," Ukitake explained. "Oh, but I apologize for being so informal..."_

_"You don't need to apologize. After all, you're the Choukaku's king's son, aren't you? We're equals."_

_Despite how cold Byakuya looked and acted, Ukitake thought he was a nice person and easy to get along with. The white-haired boy smiled. "What do you say we be friends, Byakuya-kun, and bring our nations together as allies when it's our turn to rule?"_

_Byakuya stared at his newfound companion for a few moments, bewildered by the statement. Never had anyone been so informal with him, nor asked him such a heavy question with such an innocent face. He was tempted to tell Ukitake that they couldn't make such decisions at such a young age, and be tied down by childhood promises when they were older and with more responsibility. However, the sickly yet optimistic child that reminded him so much of himself, tempted his heart to say yes. Sighing, he closed his eyes and let a ghost of a smile cross his face._

_"Then that's how it'll be, Juushirou-kun."_

_**End Flashback**_

* * *

_"Man," _Renji thought to himself, swallowing a bite of food, _"this is really good." _He was just about to delve in for another bite when a voice stopped him in mid-chomp.

"You haven't changed one bit."

The redhead looked over his shoulder, mouth still agape, to see Hisagi leaning against the doorway. He grinned and set his chopsticks down. "Hey, Hisagi-kun, long time."

"Apparently not long enough," the brunette said, "you're as informal as ever; you really haven't changed."

"And neither have you," Renji pointed out, "though, I didn't expect you to." He motioned to a spot next to him. "Have a seat, if you've got the time."

Hisagi nodded and sat down. "How have things been here?"

Renji sighed, crossing his arms across his chest. "Boring. Kuchiki-sama never gets involved in anything and there's nothing to do here. What about on your end?"

"Boring isn't the word I would use, but things have been uneventful." Hisagi decided to let the peace last for a little longer before revealing why he was there in the first place-- of course, Renji wouldn't notice for quite some time that someone from halfway across the world was sitting in his living room.

"Peaceful isn't so bad, I guess," Renji decided, "but I wish there was at least someone here to spar with. I'll get rusty if I don't practice."

"Speaking of rusty," Hisagi said with a smirk in his eye, "have you made a move on Kuchiki-san yet?"

Renji's face immediately flushed to nearly the color of his hair. "No way, and don't talk about stuff like that so loud, someone could hear you!"

"You're being louder than I am," the punk-looking boy grinned, "and why not?"

"There's no way the feelings would be returned, so it's a waste." It was something Renji had decided long ago and stuck to his theory very tightly.

"You never know unless you try," Hisagi pointed out.

Trying desperately to turn the subject away from him, Renji looked away. "And what about you? You found anyone yet?"

Arching an eyebrow, the brunette chuckled. "No, I haven't."

"Oh really? I don't believe you."

"And why's that?"

A slender finger pointed behind Hisagi's head towards the door. "Because why else would you drag him along?"

Hisagi glanced over his shoulder to where Urahara was standing. The sandy-haired man raised a hand in greeting. "Hello, Renji-kun."

"So?" the redhead pressed. "What's going on with you two?"

Hisagi remained silent, mentally refusing to even believe such a thing was being considered, while Urahara took up the debate. "Whatever is going on with Hisagi-kun and I is between us-"

"Don't say it like that," Hisagi interjected, sighing in exasperation.

"But you shouldn't be so accusing with that finger," Renji immediately dropped his hand, "when I know your secret crush now, too."

"It's not like you think!" the Mikaku native exclaimed.

"Urahara-san isn't as slow as you might think," Hisagi warned.

Sighing in defeat, Renji hung his head. "Two against one isn't fair." He looked back up to the pair, only then registering that they shouldn't be there. "Say, why are you two here, anyway?"

Knowing the question would come eventually, Hisagi sighed again. "Ukitake-sama received a letter from Aizen-san a couple days ago," his and Renji's eyes locked, "about a declaration of war."

"War?" Renji repeated. "Well, Kuchiki-sama won't get involved, so I don't see why you all are here."

"Remember," Urahara spoke up, "chances are if Ukitake-sama gets involved, then so will Kuchiki-san. Those two are very close, after all."

"What else did the letter say?" Renji asked, fiddling with his chopsticks. Somehow, the news he'd just received diminished his appetite.

"Just that he would be declaring war on Ichimaru-san within the week," Hisagi told him, "that's about all."

Seeing that the conversation had died, and everyone was getting a little depressed, Urahara clapped his hands together. "Well, Ukitake-sama should be getting finished up soon. Come on, Hisagi-kun, let's go wait for him and let Renji-kun finish his meal."

Hisagi nodded in agreement and bid a silent farewell to Renji. The redhead watched the two leave before casting a glance back down to his food. As boring as it had been around Mikaku lately, he wasn't sure he was ready to go to war yet. More accurately, he didn't want Byakuya or Rukia getting involved.

_"I know I can handle myself," _he thought, chewing thoughtfully on a piece of fish, _"but those two never fight. I wonder how good they are..."_

* * *

Hey, no one ever said Renji wasn't an idiot. In fact, many have said he is. I think this chapter is really short, but.. the main reason I wrote it was for the flashback, so no one would go 'why are Ukitake and Byakuya so close, again?'. And teasing Hisagi and Urahara, even through Renji, is too much fun to pass up. I wonder why this fic seems unpopular, though? Maybe I'm just not know well in the Bleach fandom... damn, getting known takes too long T-T. Ah well, I will still humbly thank these lovely people who gave me support last chapter:

Hair Noodles, blitzkrieg demolition girl, and Lady Charliie. Thanks for reviewing!


	7. Declaration of War

_**Kataku**_

_Chapter Seven: Declaration of War_

* * *

Zaraki had just finished the paperwork that had backed up while he was gone. He never realized how much he had to do, and wondered if it was because Kira kept everything in order for him. Thinking of the boy and where he was now brought a wide grin to the man's face.

"Oh my, Zaraki-sama is in a good mood today," Ikkaku murmured to his other half.

Yumichika nodded in agreement. "It's rare that he's in such a pleasant mood, especially when he isn't in battle."

"Hey, Zaraki-sama!" Ikkaku called to his leader.

Zaraki looked up to see the pair a good ways down the hall, and paused where he was while they made their way to him. "Ikkaku, Yumichika," he said as way of greeting.

"What's got a smile on your face?" Ikkaku wondered suspiciously. He hoped it was something violent and battle-worthy, and knowing his leader, it was.

"We'll be going to war again soon," Zaraki announced, the words dripping off his tongue like a sweet nectar.

"So that _is _it," Yumichika sighed, wondering if his lord ever got excited about anything else. "With whom this time?"

"Aizen has declared war on Kan," the wild-haired man announced.

"Kan?" the least brutish of the three repeated. "That's where Kira-kun was sent to."

Zaraki shrugged and Ikkaku grinned more. "So when is it?"

"I'm not sure of the exact date, but within the week." He patted Ikkaku on the back. "So get to work on preparing."

The bald-headed soldier saluted his king. "Yes, sir!" Way too enthusiastic, Ikkaku dashed off, weapon in hand.

"You aren't joining him?" Zaraki wondered, glancing to Yumichika.

"I'm concerned about Kira-kun," the latter admitted.

Zaraki sighed to himself. "Kira is part of Kan's allegiance now, and we have no place giving him any of our concern. War is not the place for compassion, especially from someone like you, Yumichika." The fair-faced soldier wasn't very outgoing as far as battle was concerned, but his ability to despise anything he deemed ugly (namely, the enemy) and kill without remorse was a beautiful thing to Zaraki. "Why do you care so much about the kid, anyway?"

"I liked him," the shorter one admitted, "and I apologize, Zaraki-sama, but I won't attack him."

"You're being so stubborn about this." It displeased him, but also confused him; Yumichika had never shown such interest in someone before. "Why?"

"Do I need to remind you?" At Zaraki's blank expression, he sighed. "Ikkaku and I were the ones that were sent to Kira-kun's house on your orders to murder his parents, and we were the ones that had to pull him away and bring him here. Yet, even though he went through so many ugly things, he still remains beautiful." Yumichika had no intention of questioning his lord's actions concerning Kira's family, and he really didn't care. What had been done was done and he never concerned himself with messy pasts.

Watching Yumichika bid a farewell and follow after Ikkaku, Zaraki shook his head. "It must be tiring to have such useless emotions."

* * *

"And I just thought that- oh, come in." Ichimaru and Kira both turned to see Ichigo enter the former's study. While Ichimaru was seated comfortably behind his desk, chin resting on intertwined fingers, Kira was standing stiff and alert in front of him.

"I didn't realize you were busy," Ichigo said, shooting a glance to the blonde, "I'll come back later."

"There's no need for that," Ichimaru insisted. "What's the problem?"

Ichigo entered the room fully, a scroll tucked away in his hand. "Aizen-san has declared war on our kingdom," he announced, handing the scroll to his lord. "I also believe that Zaraki-san and the Kingdom of Kyuukaku will support him as they have done in the past."

No one missed the visible frown this news placed on Kira's lips, but there was also no one that called attention to it.

"Well, ain't that a bummer?" Ichimaru asked rhetorically, looking to his second-in-command. "I take it you can handle this?"

As expected, Ichigo gave a short nod. "I'll request immediate assistance from the Kingdom of Shikaku and Ukitake-san in the Kingdom of-"

"Let's leave Ukitake-san for the sidelines," Ichimaru suggested. "You know how fragile he is and I'm sure he has enough to deal with. We'll only call on him if necessary."

Kira watched his new lord with immense interest as he said this. _"He shows that much compassion for his allies even though he could definitely use the help?" _he wondered. _"Maybe I had the wrong impression of him."_

"Of course," Ichigo agreed, glancing once more to Kira. "It might not be my business-"

"That's never stopped you before."

"What is Kira doing in here?" the soldier finished.

"Well, I thought that Kira-kun wasn't warmin' up to me very well, and that maybe a nice, lil' chat would help break the ice," he frowned for a moment, appearing rather serious, "but it's not going too well at all."

Ichigo surveyed his new comrade's stature: A stiff back, serious expression, and trained eyes with just a hint of fear and confusion lacing them. No, he could tell the conversation was possibly only making things worse.

Kira quickly swooped into a bow. "I apologize, Ichimaru-sama," he muttered, taking both by surprise, "I'm just having a little trouble adjusting."

Ichimaru sat up a little straighter before smiling again. "Don't push yourself, Kira-kun."

"Ichimaru-sama-"

"You don't need to use -sama if you don't mean it." It was becoming clear to Kira that Ichimaru had a knack for interrupting people.

The younger one bent lower into his bow. "I beg of you, don't make me fight against Zaraki...san." It was obvious he was forcing his attitude, and it amused Ichimaru to no end.

"My, my, what to do." Ichimaru's grin spread nearly across his whole face. "Usually I'd let Ichigo handle all of these matters..."

As he trailed off, Kira's eyes lit up with hope-- Ichigo would surely sympathize with him, right?

"...but he has enough to worry about for now." As Ichimaru continued to mutter to himself about whether to accept or deny Kira's request, the boy himself faded back into hopelessness. He knew Ichimaru was just toying with him-- the silver-haired lord had known exactly the answer he'd give the minute the question was asked.

_"Will he be the same as Zaraki-sama?" _Kira wondered, _"Constantly messing with me and pushing me around?" _He certainly didn't want another attitude like that around; one had been enough.

"Alright," Ichimaru announced, "I've decided that since you're so weak and still injured anyway, you ain't doin' me any good on a battlefield. So, you'll stay here with Hanatarou-kun and care for the injured as they come in."

Relief swept through Kira's body as he straightened up, a smile on his face. "Thank you, Ichimaru-sama."

"I told you before," the fox-faced lord said, "you needn't use an honorific that you don't mean."

"I'm not," Kira assured him. "I'll take my leave now."

Ichigo nodded to Kira as he left, then turned his attention to his superior. "So what do you really think of him?"

"He's interestin'," Ichimaru confessed, "but I want t' see how interestin'."

"You've taken a liking to him," Ichigo surmised, a little surprised, "but what do you mean by 'how interesting'?"

"You'll see when the war begins."

Ichigo's brow furrowed slightly. _"What does he mean by that?" _Knowing he'd get no answer from his lord, he bowed to the older one. "I'll go inform Hitsugaya-san about your decision," he said and exited the study.

* * *

"You called for me, Aizen-sama?" Hinamori asked through the library door.

"Yes, Hinamori, come in." Aizen looked up as the young girl walked into the dome-ceilinged room and smiled. "How are you today?"

"I'm fine, Aizen-sama, and yourself?" she asked, her voice soft and polite as always.

"I'm a bit troubled, to tell you the honest truth," the brown-haired man spoke lowly, "there's going to be a war soon."

"A war?" she repeated. "Why?"

"Have you ever heard the term 'nip a problem in the bud'?"

"I have," she responded slowly, confused, "but I still don't understand what that has to do with a war."

"Ichimaru-kun is a threat to our peace here in Shokkaku, and I believe that nipping that particular problem in the bud will prove beneficial to us all," Aizen explained, a never-wavering smile on his face.

"Why do you think Ichimaru-san is a threat?" Hinamori asked, frowning. She had always thought the Kan lord was a little creepy, but never someone to consider dangerous.

"Hinamori, I need you to do something very important for me," he said, ignoring her previous question.

"Something important? What is it?" Always eager to please, Hinamori had yet to deny a request (and certainly not an order) from her lord, whom she adored more than anything.

"As my top military officer, I want you to take on a special mission for me, while I remain here in Shokkaku. I want you to take a third of our army's forces and head northeast, towards Choukaku (you'll have safe passage through Kyuukaku, naturally), and annihilate Ukitake-san's forces."

The young girl stared at her lord, wide-eyed and in shock. She swallowed hard and, after a minute, found her voice. "Y-you want me to do...what?" Even if Ichimaru _was _a threat, Ukitake certainly wasn't. The possibility alone that the kind-hearted man would enter a war was unlikely, and even if he did, Choukaku's army was the weakest and most ill-prepared out of all six kingdoms.

"You will have no problems," he assured her, "Hitsugaya-kun will be too concerned with supporting Kan in the coming war that he won't dare sacrifice any men to protect Choukaku. It will be a simple, but very vital, mission."

"Aizen-sama, I..." she trailed off, a distressed look strained her face.

"What is it?" the lord asked, either not noticing or ignoring his subordinate's dilemma.

"I don't want to attack Ukitake-san," she said quickly, "he's a very kind man and his military is nothing compared to ours. Why do we need to involve him in that way?"

"It's part of a very specific plan that I have," he told the wavering brunette, "and if any part of that plan doesn't go off without a hitch, it might all be ruined and Shokkaku may see another lord very soon. That isn't something you want, is it?"

"No," she whispered, casting her gaze down to the floor, "I understand."

"Very good," he purred, approvingly. "Take your time to prepare whichever soldiers you feel you need and leave at dawn so you can arrive in Choukaku by nightfall of the day after. Above all, Hinamori, make sure that no one escapes. If Mikaku is alerted of the attack, then our chances for victory are immediately halved."

_"What is Aizen-sama planning?" _she asked herself. Her heart told her this was wrong, but her mind forced her to obey her lord's will. "I understand," she said again and bowed before leaving Aizen to himself.

* * *

Uh oh.. Aizen's looking to be evil again. Well, he does make the perfect evil guy. But why attack Ichimaru so suddenly? XD, he has motives, don't worry. At least Kira's warming up to Ichimaru...slightly. It'll still be a while before he's _relaxed _around him, but we're making (slight) progress XD. Here are the lovely people who put a smile on my face:

Ceretis Paribus, Hair-Noodles, fangirl666, blitzkrieg demolition girl, DeafLizgon, and HeroJess. You all are quite awesome and thanks for reviewing!


	8. Defenses Spread Thin, Aizen Attacks!

_**Kataku**_

_Chapter Eight: Defenses Spread Thin; Aizen Attacks!_

* * *

"We're making very good time," Urahara commented, looking out the carriage window. "We should arrive back home in as little as a day." He, Ukitake, and Hisagi had been sitting in silence for a while and he decided that it was time to break the tension that had set in.

"It's because Byakuya gave the horses food and water while we were there," Ukitake told him.

"Every time we visit Mikaku, you give Kuchiki-san credit for anything good that happens afterward," Hisagi pointed out, almost seeming annoyed with the fondness between his and Mikaku's lord.

"Jealous?" Urahara teased, a playful glint in his eye.

"As if," Hisagi scoffed, "and don't think I've forgotten what happened earlier, either."

"Oh?" the sandy-haired man wondered.

"Yes, you're the reason Abarai-san thinks I'm with another guy." Anyone who knew Hisagi knew that, while he was secure in his sexuality, he was not one to joke around about such things. Renji, of course, knew that, and Urahara seemed to find it an endless source of amusement to tease him about it.

"It's like Renji-san said, you drug me with you, I was completely innocent."

"Innocent my ass, you could have denied it." It was a rare form for Hisagi to be so crude and childish as to bicker, but having been near Urahara for so long, the older man had learned just the buttons to push.

"That wasn't my place, now, was it? After all," Urahara said, a sly grin on his face, "the conversation was between you and Renji-san, I was just a spectator."

"Spectator," Hisagi repeated, "right."

Ukitake, having taken the responsibility of controlling the reins, listened to the two go back and forth, an amused smile on his face. He was just about to calm them down (they got into it pretty heavily at times) when a sharp jolt sent the wagon rocking side to side. The lord saw a single wheel roll off into the distance a split second before the carriage came crashing down. Loud shouts sounded from Hisagi and Urahara inside the carriage as Ukitake braced himself for the collision with the ground. His subordinates immediately scrambled from the wrecked vehicle and Hisagi made it to his side first.

"Ukitake-sama, are you alright?" he questioned, frowning as he helped the frail man to his feet.

"It's nothing to worry about," Ukitake assured him, casting a glance to the carriage, "but it seems we're on our own for transportation."

"That's a pretty big rock," Urahara commented, pointing to what could be defined as a small boulder a few feet back. "How'd you miss that, Ukitake-sama?"

"You were distracting him with your babbling," Hisagi told him. "Or maybe it's that Kuchiki-san didn't feed and water the cart while we were in Mikaku." Ukitake recognized the sarcasm, but said nothing to it-- Hisagi _could _get jealous from time to time.

"We're about half way between home and Mikaku," Urahara noted, "but we're also in Kyuukaku territory."

"No one would attack us, unarmed," Ukitake said, but Hisagi jumped to disagree.

"Remember who rules over this kingdom, and the type of people that live here." He glanced around their surroundings before continuing. "It's less than a half day's walk to Shikaku, and Hitsugaya-san will surely give us assistance."

The white-haired lord nodded his agreement. "Then to Shikaku it is."

* * *

Hinamori glanced over her shoulder, surveying the portion of Shokkaku's army she had taken with her. The army in its entirety reached just under a thousand soldiers, and with her were three hundred of them. She knew it was more than enough to take on Choukaku, and was convinced that even half of that would be overkill. Still, Aizen had insisted she take at least that many, and more if she felt it necessary. Her hands had been trembling as she made the announcement and divided the groups up into who would be staying and who she would take with her, and they hadn't stopped shaking since.

Up ahead, a shout was heard and the sound of metal cutting into flesh. Hinamori quickly ran ahead and skidded to a stop when she saw two figures in front of her: One was bent over, kneeling with a clean cut across his neck, and the other was holding the weapon that had just killed a man.

"What's going on?" Hinamori demanded, signaling for the troops to stay back a little. She slowly approached the soldier from Kyuukaku (as noted by his flame-red bandana) before stopping in her tracks and gasping slightly. "You're..."

Ichinose glanced up at the intruder before calmly sheathing his sword, clearly not taking Hinamori or her soldiers as a threat. "Can I help you?"

The brunette frowned. "Why did you kill that man?"

Ichinose wondered to himself why it was any of her business, but decided it was easiest just to answer (women could get so annoying with their questions). "He was a spy."

"A spy?" she repeated, her frown deepening. "From where?"

Instead of answer the question, Ichinose shot a look behind her to the soldiers. "And where are you going with such a large group of Shokkaku soldiers?"

Hinamori hesitated for a moment, nibbling at her lower lip, before answering. "I was sent by Aizen-sama with these men to attack Choukaku," she quietly added, "in order to prevent any resistance from them during the coming war."

"Zaraki-sama mentioned nothing of that," Ichinose commented, suspicion riddling his condescending gaze.

"Aizen-sama told no one but me about it," she informed him, voice still soft and not at all what one should sound like on the brink of battle.

"I see." Ichinose was silent for a moment, staring Hinamori down and chilling her down to her spine, before he walked past her, making her jump slightly. "I'll be leaving now."

As the young soldier watched the older one depart, the ever-troubled frown appeared back on her lips. _"I wonder if I said too much..."_

* * *

Ice-blue eyes watched with curiosity as a young boy bent over his garden and sprinkled clear water from a watering can onto a few choice fruits. Matsumoto's lips curled up in amusement as her lord stepped back to view his accomplishment with pride.

"Is there something you want, Matsumoto?" Hitsugaya asked, glancing over his shoulder at the older woman.

"Oh? So you noticed me?" the blonde asked, smiling. "Well, I couldn't help but watch my cute-"

"_Not _cute."

"Hitsugaya-sama water his watermelon garden," she finished, stifling a laugh.

Hitsugaya narrowed his eyes at her. "There's other things besides watermelon in here, you know."

"Really?" she asked, interest glossing her eyes. "Like what?"

The white-haired boy sighed and ran a hand through his snowy tresses. "Was there something you wanted?" he asked again.

"Hm..." she crossed her arms across her chest in thought before nodding. "You have visitors."

"At this time?" It was in the early hours of the morning and the sun had yet to break over the horizon.

"Come on," she suggested before leading the shorter one inside the castle and to the front foyer.

"Ukitake-san, Hisagi-san, Urahara-san," the young lord greeted the trio. "What are you doing here so suddenly?"

"It's good to see you well, Hitsugaya-san," Ukitake greeted. "I apologize for the abrupt arrival, but we were traveling back home from Mikaku when our carriage wheel broke off and split. It was irreparable, and Hisagi-kun had the idea to come here to ask for assistance."

Without much thought on the topic at all, Hitsugaya nodded. "Of course, I'll prepare a carriage for you three to use immediately."

"Better feed and water it first," Hisagi muttered under his breath, much to Urahara's amusement.

Ukitake ignored the comment, as he had done before, and took on a more serious tone. "Have you heard of the coming war?"

Hitsugaya, serious as always, nodded. "I received a letter, as I imagine everyone else did, almost a week ago."

_"Aizen-san must have sent Hitsugaya-san's letter at least a day before the rest of ours, for him to have received it so much earlier." _He wondered if that held any significance, but couldn't imagine how Aizen would benefit from such an action. He turned his attention back to the conversation. "What will you do?"

"I'd rather not get involved in war matters, if I had my choice of it," Hitsugaya told him, "but Ichimaru-san is my ally and when the request for help comes, which I know it will soon, I'll agree."

"Well, that's a relief," a new voice entered the ring. The three foreigners turned to face the entrance door to see Ichigo leaning casually against it. He raised a hand to Hitsugaya. "Your predictions were right, as usual, Hitsugaya-san."

"Kurosaki-kun," Hisagi arched an eyebrow, "Ichimaru-san sent you to deliver the message?"

Ichigo shrugged. "All other available messengers and soldiers have been taken away by training for the war, so I came personally." He then grinned to the three. "Ukitake-san, you're looking well."

"As well as I have been," the terminally ill lord smiled, "and you, as well."

"You know me," Ichigo boasted, "nothing will take me down so easily."

"My, my, as confident as ever," Urahara commented, placing a hand on his head and removing his hat. "So much formality, I feel out of place with this on." His sandy hair swept down to frame his face as he shot a smile to Ichigo. "It's been a while."

"Urahara-san," hazel eyes glinted with just the tiniest hint of the aforementioned formality, "good to see you're doing well, also, though I never expected any less."

"Confident in himself and his old teacher," Hisagi noted, "did he learn that from you?"

Kisuke waved a hand, as if trying to wave off some of the tension in the air. "Not at all, that attitude comes one-hundred percent natural."

"Hisagi-kun," Ichigo muttered, barely registering the other's presence.

"Let's not have such tension at a time like this," Ukitake suggested, breaking the staring contest Ichigo and Hisagi were about to fall into. "Kurosaki-san, did Ichimaru-san mention anything about needing my assistance?"

"Ichimaru-sama considered it, but decided to leave you and Choukaku out of any wars he's involved in, if at all possible." It was clear by the way he said it that Ichigo thought Ichimaru a great and noble person for this, whatever his reasons may have been.

"That's a relief," the long-haired lord sighed a little, "please tell him I'm grateful for his considera-" He was stopped by a suffocating feeling in his chest and no sooner had he doubled over and raised a hand to his mouth then crimson liquid spilled out onto his fingers. The coughing fit lasted only a minute, but left a lasting impression of a pale white hand stained with bright red blood.

"Ukitake-sama!" Hisagi said desperately, placing a hand on the man's back. His eyes shimmered with frustration at being able to do nothing but watch, and relaxed slightly only when Ukitake offered him a blood-stained smile.

"I'm alright," he assured his subordinate, though his weight leaning on Hisagi's support suggested otherwise.

"Alright or not, you're in no position to travel," Hitsugaya determined.

"It's already passed," Ukitake told him, already knowing how the conversation would end. "Besides, I don't want to leave Choukaku alone for too long with things as tense as they are between the kingdoms."

Hisagi remained silent, but his face clouded with concern, and Urahara spoke up in his place. "Isn't it just as childish and stubborn to go while you're weakened and think you're invincible?" Without waiting for an answer, he turned to the Shikaku lord. "We'll humbly accept your invitation to stay."

Seeing that he was outnumbered, and feeling weak and light-headed, Ukitake bowed his head in consent and placed more of his weight into Hisagi, who seemed an angel in disguise at the moment.

* * *

Not long after the incident, Ukitake, Hisagi, and Urahara were all settled in. It took much convincing on a few peoples' parts to assure Hisagi that Ukitake would be fine on his own, and more than a couple comments were made from Urahara about a dog never leaving its master's side. Finally, Ichigo and Hitsugaya were alone, and the second-in-command turned to his ally.

"I'll be returning to Ichimaru-sama now," he stated. "Since things are going to go bad soon, I won't leave his side again until it's all over, but I'll keep you informed through the Ichou."

The Ichou. An intelligent substance derived from the depths of the Kataku Ocean and known only to Hitsugaya and his allies. It provided a means of visual and audio communication that far surpassed anything else their world had managed to dredge up, and was a fail-safe way of communicating securely and quickly. The only downside was that with each use, the Ichou became more and more volatile, even going so far as to poison the user (though not fatally) if used beyond its limits. Ukitake was a direct result of the Ichou's dangerous reaction to overuse. Fortunately, Hitsugaya found that there was a good supply of the water-based spheres lying in wait in his ocean, and as far as he could tell, they had an endless shelf-life if left alone in their natural environment.

"Since only you, Ukitake-san, and Ichimaru-sama have such a means of communication, it'll be easy to relay messages back and forth when necessary," Ichigo said. "Even better since only the kingdom's rulers have access to the Ichou, right?"

"With you as an exception," Hitsugaya reminded him. "Ichimaru-san places quite a lot of faith in you."

Ichigo grinned, a little proud that someone outside of the kingdom had noticed. "Well, it's in good standing. Anyway, Hitsugaya-san, I should be going."

"Have a safe trip," Hitsugaya said, watching as the soldier waved an informal parting and slipped back out into the impending war-zone of Kataku.

* * *

The next day passed without any events, notices of battle, or otherwise stressful situations. Hitsugaya was grateful for the chance to relax his body, but his mind kept him tense and on edge. As he always did when he needed to think, Hitsugaya found himself on the cliff side, overlooking Kataku Ocean. That was where Matsumoto finally found her lord after a thorough search of the castle.

"Everything will go fine," she assured him, her shadow looming over his sitting form.

An unconvinced, teal gaze shot over his shoulder. "Kyuukaku and Shokkaku have the two strongest armies out of all of our kingdoms," he reminded her, "you can't take something like that so lightly."

The strawberry-blonde just smiled. "But you have the power that neither Aizen-san nor Zaraki-san have-- the power of surprise. We know their military strength, but with you always changing your army's size, they have no idea what to expect." It was a plan Hitsugaya had come up with on his own from the very start. Every time battle broke out, he heightened or lessened the number of soldiers he sent out in battle-- sometimes, more or less than would have been preferable. It kept his enemies guessing, but he knew it wouldn't last forever.

"A simple battle tactic that will get old soon," he shot her hopes down, "and we can't win by surprise or luck with this." He didn't know why, but the impending doom any declaration of war brought felt different this time. Perhaps it was because Aizen had no reason to declare war so suddenly, and the man's unknown motives made him nervous. As if the odds weren't bad enough, he felt he had to add more. "It is also unlikely that Choukaku will be aiding us in this war, and if Ukitake-san isn't involved, there's no way Kuchiki-san and Mikaku will help."

"That is unfortunate," she agreed, "but what's really important is the state of your watermelon pat-" Interrupted by a loud crack that sounded akin to fireworks, Matsumoto and Hitsugaya both snapped their attention towards the horizon. In the distance, high in the darkened sky, was a puff of white smoke.

The two immediately jumped to their feet, both wide-eyed with shock. "That's..." she trailed off, swallowing hard at the sight before her, "the distress signal from the east; Choukaku is under attack?!"

Fear strained Hitsugaya's body for only a minute as the severity of what was happening before his eyes set in. Collecting himself, he wordlessly left Matsumoto's side and raced back into the inner workings of his castle. Hallway after hallway passed by him in a flurry of stone as he raced toward a certain point. Finally, in the depths of the place he called home, he paused outside a door, panting from the sprint. He placed a hand on the doorknob and took a deep breath, preparing himself, before pushing the door open.

Inside looked like a scientist's lab-- computers and wires running every which way, entangled in a mess above his head. In the center of the cluttered room sat a glowing, blue, watery-looking sphere. All of the wires that seemed a jumbled complication of rubber and metal somehow connected the Ichou to the surrounding computer screens, and what looked to be a large TV screen behind the sphere.

"It's glowing," he muttered to himself, "someone's trying to contact me." He quickly made his way over to the monitor directly to the right of the Ichou and began typing away. Moments later he stood up straight and faced the enigma, taking another, small preparation, before placing his hand onto the watery surface. It rippled from his fingertips out and the TV screen jumped to life, static at first, then cleared to an image of a silver-haired fox.

Ichimaru had lost his usual smile and looked contemplative at best. Hitsugaya knew no words could force out whatever the Kan lord had to say, so he waited patiently for the older one to speak. It only took him a moment to do so, and his words were Hitsugaya's worst nightmare come true.

"Aizen-san has begun his assault," but he didn't stop there, "Ichigo has also yet to return."

The capable boy recovered quickly from the news he had already been expecting. "Ichigo left yesterday, he should be arriving soon. I'll come with my full force as soon as possible to assist you." He sent a glance back to the door before continuing. "Choukaku has been attacked as well, but Ukitake-san is here with me, recovering from an attack he had."

Ichimaru seemed to become even more solemn at this news and nodded. "That's troublesome news, ain't it? It seems our forces are spread quite thin all of a sudden."

"Yes," Hitsugaya agreed. "I suppose for now, all we can do for Choukaku is hope that Kuchiki-san saw the distress signal and is sending reinforcements."

* * *

And finally a climax to the suspense o.o. Well, at least in this half of the fic XD. What will happen? Who will win? And can Ukitake ever get his teeth white again after all that blood? On another note, I apologize for how long this took to come out. I met Gaia, enough said x-x. I'm so addicted to that, it's not even funny. I have so many things and people to fangirl about concerning it, but I won't XD. Except... omg, Shuusuke-taichou! XD, that's all. These people are awesome, made of win, and go well with butterscotch sauce:

DarogaDaae, Lady Charliie, Applemeisje, Hair-Noodles, mymissmochakitty, fangirl666, and blitzkriegdemolitiongirl. Thank you all so much for reviewing!


	9. Kira's Hesitation, Zaraki's Decision

_**Kataku**_

_Chapter Nine: Kira's Hesitation, Zaraki's Decision_

* * *

"My, my, where could Ichigo have gotten to? He's late," Ichimaru muttered to himself, sitting alone in his study. His kingdom was at war right at his front door, and yet Ichigo was nowhere to be found. He knew if his second-in-command was in a hurry, he could make it back to the castle in under a day. Yet it had already been nearly two since Hitsugaya informed him the soldier had left Shikaku. Was it possible he got caught up in a fight on the way back?

A knock at his door stirred Ichimaru from his thoughts, and he immediately assumed his subordinate had returned. A simple 'come in' revealed not an out-of-breath Ichigo or battle-worn Ichigo, but an unsettled Kira.

"Ah, Kira-kun, what's wrong for ya to be in here at such a time?" Ichimaru's contemplative face melted away into his usual grin on sight of the blonde.

"The war outside;" Kira said, his voice quivering, "it's so close to the castle and our soldiers are being outnumbered, at least three to one!"

"There's no need t' be so frightened," Ichimaru assured him. "Shikaku's on the way now, help will arrive."

"We won't last that long, at this rate-!"

"Lower your voice, will ya? It's upsetting to see you so nervous." Seeing that his new servant had contained himself, he allowed the boy to continue.

"Even though we're holding our own even against Shokkaku's numbers, we still have Kyuukaku's strength to worry about," his voice became softer and nearly nostalgic as he spoke of his old kingdom. "Zaraki-san has probably already left, and is heading this way now."

"We're in a tough spot, ain't we? But I do hope Ukitake-san and his kingdom are alright, they ain't fighters t' be attacked like that."

Kira stared, bewildered, at his king. "How can you be so relaxed and only show concern for your allies and not yourself?" he demanded. "Do you not care what happens to your soldiers and your kingdom?!"

"I don't like repeatin' myself, but it seems you weren't listenin' before," Ichimaru said. "There ain't nothin' t' worry about, so there's no need t' act so worried." Before Kira could begin to panic again, he continued. "Why don't ya find Hanatarou-kun and help him prepare for the injured that'll be comin' your way?"

Kira sighed and bowed his head. "If that's what you wish."

He left the king to himself and, just after shutting the door, looked up to see Ichigo heading his way. "Ichigo-san!"

The soldier approached the blue-eyed boy and raised a hand in greeting. "Everything okay in here?" he asked. A cut bleeding out the side of his face signaled that not everything was so peaceful outside the castle doors.

"Yes," Kira told him, "but you're injured... did you come in right through the front door or something?"

"I did, it's a mess out there," Ichigo said offhandedly, casting a glance over the railing and towards the castle's main entrance.

"You must be extremely powerful to have fought your way through all of that and only come out with a scratch," Kira remarked, in slight awe-- he hadn't thought Ichigo looked very strong.

Upon hearing this, Ichigo grinned and heaved his large blade over his shoulder. "I'm not Ichimaru-sama's second-in-command for nothin'."

"Ichimaru-sama," Kira repeated, "is he always so laid-back in situations like that?"

"Yeah," Ichigo confirmed, chuckling. "I used to get frustrated and panicked about it, but now I just find it encouraging."

"Encouraging? How in the world do you do that?" Kira asked, still in the 'finding it alarming' state.

"Ichimaru-sama never worries about these types of situations because he always knows he'll come out on top."

"Confidence and arrogance are two different things," the blonde pointed out, knowing firsthand how arrogant Zaraki was. Even though his previous lord had the pure muscle and strength to back up all of his claims, he didn't pin Ichimaru in the same category as Zaraki.

"He may be a lot of things, but arrogant isn't one of them," Ichigo assured him. "He always comes out on top, regardless of whoever else gets hurt, but also makes sure those close to him are alright, too."

Kira wasn't sure about the 'sacrifice whoever in order to win' mentality Ichigo spoke up, but he did know that one thing was certain. "Maybe your faith in him isn't so misplaced." He admired the younger one for having so much faith in his lord, and never remembered having so much trust placed in Zaraki. He even thought his lord was going to kill him that one day, and knew Ichigo would never have to worry about that. _"Though," _he reminded himself, _"he did say that Ichimaru-sama wasn't very stable, but does that really mean he doesn't trust him as much as he says he does?" _Ichigo didn't seem the type to put on an act for anyone, not even Ichimaru. The two of them together were impossible to figure out and it gave Kira a headache.

"You alright?" Ichigo asked, narrowing his eyes slightly in concern for the other boy, who looked like he needed a serious hug.

"I..." Kira trailed off, frowning. He cast his gaze down to the floor and wondered when he had become so lost. Was it really just recently when he was shipped off to Kan? Or was it longer ago, when he had been robbed of his parents and his freedom? He knew he used to be a happy child, but Zaraki had taken all of that away. Even so, he had remained loyal to the man, even defending his name while he wasn't around. Was that the kind of person he was, to make friends out of those that should be his enemies? If that was the case, then why did he hold hostilities against Ichimaru, who had done nothing to him and asked nothing of him?

"What's wrong?" the soldier questioned again, reaching out to place a hand on Kira's shoulder.

The blonde didn't even register the touch until moments afterward when he looked into Ichigo's eyes, determination riddling his own. "I want to fight against Zaraki-san." Not just Kyuukaku, no, he wanted to fight _Zaraki_.

"Wh-what?" Ichigo asked, startled. His hand lifted off of the steely-eyed one's shoulder. "There's no way you'd be able to win against him, you're still injured from the last time."

"I know that, I know I can't win," Kira shook his head, "but that doesn't mean I can't fight. I refuse to stay on the sidelines again while everyone else goes and fights. I don't want to stay back while Zaraki-san destroys this kingdom." He didn't care for Kan, it wasn't his home, but he did care for something. "How much faith you place in Ichimaru-sama... I want to place that same faith in Zaraki-san. I believe that he won't kill me, even if we meet with swords clashed." He hesitated before continuing his speech. "I want to see him again, even if it has to be on the battlefield," his eyes never tore themselves from Ichigo's, "and I also know that's the only place I'll see Yumichika-san again."

"Yumichika?" Ichigo repeated. "Who's that?"

Deciding there was no one better to tell his story to; Kira finally glanced back to the floor. "About five years ago, when I was only thirteen, Zaraki-san ordered two soldiers to my home to kill my parents. With no explanation as to why it was happening, Yumichika-san and Ikkaku-san came, murdered my mother and father, and took me back to Zaraki-san's castle."

Ichigo stared at the boy in front of him, taken back by the tale. More so, he was startled by how easily Kira had relayed his past, as if it no longer bothered him. Carefully, Ichigo regained his composure. "So you want to find this Yumichika guy again to get revenge on him killing your parents?"

It was Kira's turn to look surprised as he raised his head and offered Ichigo a smile. "No, of course not. Afterwards, Yumichika-san became my friend. He said he didn't want to do what he had done, but that he spared no compassion for a stranger over his lord's order. I couldn't blame him for that, seeing where he was raised. Over time, we became a lot closer, and he's one of the only people I feel I can really trust."

Ichigo gave a weary sigh and ran his hand through his hair. "You're really a mess, aren't you?" Hearing everything, he couldn't help but agree. "Alright, you can fight, but I don't want you going out aimlessly; wait until Kyuukaku arrives."

"Of course," Kira said, "I only want to meet with Zaraki-san and Yumichika-san out there, no one else has my interest." Bowing quickly, he ran off to help Hanatarou until his time came.

* * *

"Choukaku sent up a distress signal just after nightfall of the day before yesterday. Soon after, a large part of Shokkaku's forces attacked the kingdom and though Kan's army has held their own so far, we cannot be expected to win when Kyuukaku joins the fight." Ichigo stared across the desk at his lord, who took the news in stride.

"But for now, everything's under control, right?" Ichimaru asked, never expecting a disappointing answer from his younger subordinate.

"For now," Ichigo agreed, "but the army that has attacked our defenses is not Shokkaku's full strength. It's likely that the remainder of Aizen-san's army is the force that assaulted Choukaku."

"And who's gone to Choukaku's defense?"

Ichigo hesitated before continuing. "Our soldiers, as well as those of the Kingdom of Shikaku, are focused currently on defending against Shokkaku's army and the anticipated attack of Kyuukaku. However, we have no doubt that Kuchiki-san has seen the distress signal and will immediately go to Choukaku's aid." Sensing that Ichimaru was not pleased with this answer, he continued, "In addition, Ukitake-san, who by a series of events ended up in Hitsugaya-san's castle, has remained there since the day before yesterday, and is uninvolved in any battles at this time."

"I see," Ichimaru said after the report was finished. "Well, if Ukitake-kun ain't in any danger, then I guess Choukaku'll just have t' wait for other reinforcements t' arrive." After all, Ukitake, and not Choukaku, was his ally. "Kuchiki-san probably anticipated such a thing, anyway, and is most likely on his way there now, so no need t' get concerned about it, yet."

Ichigo nodded, relieved that Ichimaru wasn't upset with the way things had been handled. He added one last bit of information. "Kyuukaku is quite a distance from here, and I doubt Zaraki-san will go straight through Shikaku to get here." He guessed Zaraki would take the path with least resistance, in order to get straight to the fighting, and would work his way through the nearly-defenseless and wounded Choukaku. "It should take their army at least another day to arrive here."

Just as Ichimaru was about to speak, Hanatarou rushed in, bowing. "I apologize for interrupting," he said quickly, "but Kyuukaku's forces have arrived and begun their attack!"

"What?" Ichigo asked. _"How did they get here so fast?"_

"Seems they're one step ahead of us, doesn't it?" Ichimaru asked, never wavering in his grinning expression.

"Even though Hitsugaya-san is on his way, it'll still take him a while to reach our location;" Ichigo informed his lord, "Kan can't win like this." He frowned, but his determined gaze never faltered. "I'm going to join in the battle."

"That's a smart move," Ichimaru agreed. "Round up whoever else can fight before ya head out, and have some fun." He tilted his head in Hanatarou's direction. "Start preparin' for the wounded soldiers, Hanatarou-kun, I'm sure we'll get a boatload of 'em in, soon."

Hanatarou and Ichigo both bowed their understanding of their orders and exited the study, once again leaving Ichimaru to his own devices.

* * *

Hanatarou and Ichigo split ways and just before he entered the battlefield outside, Ichigo cast a glance over his shoulder. _"I wonder where Kira is." _He knew, though, that he couldn't waste time tracking him down and that he would most likely hear of the invasion soon enough.

Outside, not even a mile away, bodies cluttered the land. The sound of metal clashing and men screaming their last breath filled the air, and the scent of blood and sweat was nearly overwhelming. It hadn't been this bad when he first arrived back from Shikaku, and Ichigo knew that the added brutality that Kyuukaku brought was the cause.

Not hesitating, Ichigo dashed into the thick of the battle, eyes trained for white and red armbands. He easily cut through enemy soldiers, meeting very few that could resist him, and none that slowed him down. Growling in frustration, Ichigo knew that this was all child's play, and screamed out from inside for a stronger opponent-- he couldn't serve Ichimaru well by stepping on ants.

Finally, his blade met with another's, and he could tell that its wielder was strong. The opposing glint of metal didn't even waver as he poured his strength into the attack, and after a moment he jumped back to survey the enemy. Of course, he noted, the man was from Kyuukaku.

Ikkaku grinned upon meeting some resistance in his slaughter. "Finally!" he exclaimed. "I finally meet someone with some decent strength! And here I thought I'd be unlucky the whole day."

Yumichika, who was nearby fighting off his own, weaker opponents, glanced over to his comrade and Ichigo. "Do you know who that is, Ikkaku?" he asked, bringing his two, twisted-blade short swords in front of him to defend against an attack. "That's Ichimaru-san's second-in-command, Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Really?" Ikkaku asked, excitedly. "That's even better, I really am lucky today!" Before continuing his attack, he shot the other Kyuukaku soldier a look. "Don't you get in my way, Yumichika."

The bob-haired man smirked as he gutted a soldier in front of him and gracefully parried a block with one blade while stabbing his opponent with another. "I wouldn't dream of it."

Ruthless was the only word that came to mind when Ichigo watched his comrades being slaughtered. He wondered if this was really Kyuukaku's true power before the conversation registered in his head. "Yumichika?" he repeated, staring at said man, "_You're _the one Kira wants to see again so bad?" Had Kira really gotten so close to someone so dangerous?

"Kira-kun?" Yumichika repeated, glancing over his shoulder at Ichigo and frowning slightly. "So you know him, where is he?"

Ichigo knew Kira wanted to see this person, but he couldn't help but feel that Yumichika was too dangerous for the soft-spoken servant to be near. He shook his head and pointed his sword at the Kyuukaku soldier. "No way am I telling _you."_

Yumichika's frown melted into a scowl as he turned to face the boy. "Who says you have a right to deny me? After all, I am much more beautiful than you, you ugly duckling."

"Ugly duckling?" Ichigo wrinkled his nose. "Now there's no way I'm telling you."

"Then I'll force it out of you!" the vain warrior shouted, immediately attacking Ichigo.

The first attack was blocked easily, but Ichigo soon found out that Yumichika wasn't so weak. The Kyuukaku soldier was fast, and his assault followed through to the end. He struck Ichigo's broadsword repeatedly, forcing the boy back towards the castle's steps. His shouted demands of where Kira was were as relentless as his attacks.

"I said I'm not telling you," Ichigo growled, pushing forth more power and turning his defense into offense. He cut across where Yumichika should have been, but met with air. He pressed his attack, following the retreating soldier closer to the bulk of the battle.

"You stole him!" Ikkaku shouted. "You said you wouldn't!" Yumichika didn't respond, however, and the bald-headed soldier growled in frustration before charging back into battle to find another, worthy opponent.

Ichigo continued his counterattack, bringing his blade down towards Yumichika's head, only to be blocked again. He cut across the man's chest, knocking him back into a few of his comrades, but only had a moment before the retaliation began again.

"Where is Kira-kun?" Yumichika demanded, aiming low and stabbing Ichigo in the thigh.

Ichigo barely winced, aiming to take off Yumichika's arm and forcing him to pull back. "I'm not telling someone like you, and he's probably inside, anyway."

"You ugly, horrible boy," Yumichika spat. "You better be taking care of him."

Ichigo grinned. "I didn't know Kira had someone who cared so much about him in that place."

"It's none of your business, let me through or I'll force my way through!" The threat was the last the two spoke to each other before their fighting resumed. Yumichika, more enraged than before, distorted his face into an angry grimace and reinforced his attacks, once again driving the defending Ichigo back towards his destination.

"Yumichika-san!" a voice rang out, immediately drawing both fighters' attention to the castle doors. The Kyuukaku warrior took advantage of the distraction and knocked Ichigo aside before looking up to the boy.

"Kira-kun," Yumichika whispered, "you're alright." He quickly made his way to the blonde, but stopped just as he reached the steps, his eyes widening slightly. Time seemed to stop as Kira, Yumichika, Ikkaku, and Ichigo all froze, their attention trained on the man who had appeared next to Kira. Zaraki had entered the scene.

* * *

Byakuya was nearly finished all of his past-due work when Renji burst into his office. The wild-haired boy bent down into a bow. "Kuchiki-sama, I apologize for interrupting, but Choukaku's defense signal went up recently and I think they're under attack." His voice was panicked, but he kept it low; he knew how his lord despised shouting.

"I'm aware of the situation," Kuchiki commented, calmly, "I sent a portion of our forces to help with Rukia leading them."

"Rukia? You never send her." Even though the younger sister of Mikaku's lord was a very capable fighter, perhaps one of the best in the land, Byakuya always refused to send her out into battle. He said that she was too passionate and fought with her heart instead of her mind, and that would result in her getting hurt easily. It was one of the few scenarios in which he actually showed compassion towards any of his subordinates.

"Take half of our remaining forces and follow with her. I want no survivors from Shokkaku's assault."

Renji was about to ask how he knew Shokkaku was the attacker, but realized that everything leading up to this had been a distraction. Aizen was meaning to take over Kan, but he had used his declaration of war, sending a note out to everyone, to draw attention to Ichimaru's kingdom. Meanwhile, he sent out a party through his ally's kingdom and snuck in to attack the weaker ally of Kan. With Kyuukaku's full force backing him, he could afford to send out a good part of his army and still come out of the war victorious. Renji was certain, though, that he hadn't bet on Mikaku entering the fight, as he was unaware of Byakuya and Ukitake's close relationship.

Understanding Byakuya's lack of patience with Aizen, Renji bowed again. "I'll leave immediately."

* * *

Haha, Kira had an angsty, cliche past, like everyone else gets in AU fics. He tries not to angst over it, though XD, but that usually makes it worse x-x. Someone should tell him to let it go, hm? o.o Zaraki... he's creepy, that's my only comment about that XD. And Byakuya on revenge-mode... is kind of awkward. All in all, a rather...OOC chapter, but I like it XD. And I also apologize for your long, long wait x-x. I don't deserve your generosity, but you do deserve to be recognized for it:

DarogaDaae, Lady Charliie, Hair-Noodles, fangirl666, and blitzkriegdemolitiongirl. Thanks for reviewing!


	10. Hitsugaya Toushiro, An Angel in Disguise

_**Kataku  
**Chapter Ten: Hitsugaya Toushiro, An Angel in Disguise_

* * *

"Zaraki-sama..." Kira stood, frozen to the spot. Where had Zaraki come from? Had he been watching from a distance? He was speechless, and could only stare at the imposing figure of his previous lord.

"What are you doing outside, Kira, when you can't fight at all?" Zaraki wondered, speaking as if they weren't in the middle of a bloodbath. Of course, Zaraki was always calm in war except when he was causing the bloodshed-- then he just got excited. It was said that he always seemed most at peace in the middle of chaos and suffering.

"I...I was looking for you, Zaraki-sama, and Yumichika-san," Kira finally found his voice.

"More sentimental feelings in a time of war," Zaraki muttered, "how foolish."

"Zaraki-sama," Kira said again, feeling much more at ease with the respectful honorific than the -san he had used in Ichimaru and Ichigo's presence, "please stop fighting this war."

"Have you lost your mind?" Zaraki wondered. "Not that it would be too surprising... do you remember who I am? To ask me to stop fighting is like asking a man to stop breathing."

"If you must fight, war with Aizen-san, not Ichimaru-san." He caught himself just before saying 'Ichimaru-sama'; he didn't need Zaraki thinking he'd switched his loyalties so easily.

"What's with you?" the war monger asked. "Aizen's my ally and Ichimaru my enemy, you're asking me to betray them?" Of course, Zaraki _would _betray Aizen if it suited his interests. He had only established the alliance because he knew Shokkaku was the strongest of the remaining five nations, though Kan _did _seem more battle-hungry.

"Even so, you're not loyal to Aizen-san," Kira stated, knowing for a fact it was mostly true, "and he's a backstabber. Ichimaru-san is much more reliable than he seems."

"Zaraki-sama!" The group looked to see Ichinose staring intently at his lord. His eyes seemed to ask something vital and his body language was that of one waiting for an order.

Zaraki nodded and placed a hand on Kira's shoulder, which caused Ichigo to tense and prepare to defend the weaker boy if necessary. However, Kira only looked at him, for once calm. "It's alright, Ichigo-san."

Ichigo wondered how Kira could question his loyalty to Zaraki when he was so trusting of him, but shoved all thoughts aside as Zaraki began to speak.

"Hey, everyone, listen up!" he bellowed, his loud voice reaching throughout the battlefield and booming over the clanking of swords. "Change in plans! From this point on, Shokkaku is our enemy, join forces with Kan!"

When the Kyuukaku soldiers looked to each other in confusion, Ikkaku joined in. "What's wrong? Didn't you hear him?!" He had been told about Zaraki's decision before they departed. He was just as confused, at first, but then Zaraki told him that Ichinose had relayed to him earlier what happened while he was out and about the meeting he had with Hinamori. He also revealed to Aizen that the spy he had killed was from Shokkaku, and that he didn't think Aizen could be trusted.

"Aizen went behind my back and made plans of war without me to attack Choukaku!" Zaraki informed them. "He can't be trusted and won't be forgiven!" The soldiers, upset as well about missing out on the action and following their leader's words, turned on the ones they had just been fighting beside and the clash of forces resumed.

Kira offered his old leader a smile. "Thank you."

"What are you thanking me for?" Zaraki wondered. "I didn't make my decision for any reason other than the one I just gave."

Kira's smile didn't falter as Yumichika joined the two at the castle's front door and spoke to Zaraki. "Since I'm sure you have things covered here, I'll retire for now and take advantage of my time in Kan to speak with Kira-kun."

"We can talk without being interrupted, in my room," Kira suggested, and just as he was about to walk inside, Ichimaru walked out. Frozen to the spot, Kira felt his body act of its own accord and bow to him. "Ichimaru-sama..." He could feel Zaraki and Yumichika's gaze on him, but didn't dare to look them in the eye.

Ichimaru, smiling as always, ignored Kira and looked to Zaraki. "Ya turned your back on Aizen-san pretty quickly, didn't ya?"

"Aizen was the traitor," Zaraki assured him, "he should have known I'd want to lead the attack on Choukaku."

"Remember, though, Choukaku's your ally now," Ichimaru reminded him, "Don't go attackin' them unless ya really want t' be my enemy again, too."

"So we'll be allies until I have a reason to attack you or anyone but Aizen again," Zaraki surmised.

"Or Kuchiki-san," the silver-haired lord added. "Mikaku an' Choukaku might be allies, but we an' Mikaku certainly aren't."

"Good luck getting a rise out of that bastard," Zaraki muttered, obviously already having tried such several times.

"Then allies we'll be," Ichimaru stated, holding his hand out, "and a pleasure it is, Zaraki-san."

Said man cast a wary glance to the hand before grinning and taking it. "I've had enough of talking, though. Ikkaku!"

"Sir!"

"Let's get us some action!" Ikkaku's grin was enough to show his consent and the two raced off into the dwindling sea of soldiers.

After the lord was well out of sight, Ichimaru turned to Kira. "Ya know, I think Zaraki-san had more than one reason t' switch sides."

"I wouldn't be so positive," the younger one said, "but either way, I'll return inside now." Ichimaru nodded and Kira disappeared from sight with Yumichika in tow.

* * *

"Let no one escape!" Hinamori commanded as best she could. All around her, soldiers were shouting, fighting, killing, and dying by her order. Her hand stayed steady, but her heart was in a fuss-- was this really the right thing to do?

"Hinamori-sama!" a soldier shouted out. He ran up to her, panting and injured in a few spots, "Our side is well on its way to victory, but Ukitake-san seems to not be here."

If anything, Hinamori looked relieved at this information. "Our goal is not to bring Ukitake-san any harm, just to prevent Choukaku from aiding Kan in the war. I believe that because of our surprise attack, we've accomplished this well enough, though the distress signal that was sent should be attracting much unwanted attention from Mikaku."

"Your orders?"

Hinamori nibbled on her lip, surveying the land around her. The beautiful scenery was drenched in blood and flame, and everywhere there were soldiers dead or dying. For such a calm and peaceful place, the scenery looked like Hell itself, and tears welled up inside of her to think of how Ukitake would react when he saw his kingdom in ruin.

"Call everyone back, stop the battle now. We'll return to Shokkaku immediately; no one here will be aiding in any war for a while to come." She sighed as the soldier ran off. _"I'm glad Ukitake-san isn't here, he surely would have been injured if he was."_

Within ten minutes, all of the surviving members of the group she had brought with her were gathering together. Just as she was about to give the order to head back through Kyuukaku, a soldier off to her left shoved her to the side. Startled, she looked to him to see what was wrong, when an arrow protruding from his chest answered that question. It didn't take long for her to find the enemy: A large group of soldiers with blue armbands and Hitsugaya leading them.

"Hitsugaya-san," she whispered before narrowing her eyes. "Why are you here? You should be defending Kan."

The small lord gave her an uninterested look. "It's really none of your business, you being the enemy, but Ichimaru-san assured me he was fine and that I should instead come here."

"There's no way Kan can defend against Shokkaku _and _Kyuukaku at the same time," she told him.

"I know that," he said, irritated, "but I'm not going to base my judgments off of my own train of thought. If Ichimaru-san says he's fine, then I'll just trust him."

"There's no reason for you to be here," she said, her voice once again soft, "I'm withdrawing my men and leaving."

Hitsugaya looked past her at the torn scenery of the once-glorious Choukaku. The rich land looked dirtied and smoke billowed through the clean air. He turned his cold gaze back to her. "For a crime like this, you won't get away so easily."

Hinamori watched, stunned, as the whole of the Shikaku army attacked, each soldier passing by her, one by one, to slaughter her own defenses. It took mere minutes for the already-exhausted third of the Shokkaku army to be annihilated, and Hinamori was left the only one still breathing. The added bloodshed only worsened the state of Choukaku's scenery, but it was a necessary vengeance for the peaceful land.

"Surrender," was the only word that Hitsugaya spoke to her, demanding and forceful. There was no way she could win against this army-- she couldn't even fight off Hitsugaya in the defeated state she was in.

She slowly sunk to her knees as her head lowered and her body shook. "I never wanted to come here," she whispered with tears spilling out in her words. "I didn't want to, but Aizen-sama said I had to."

"Aizen isn't to be trusted," Hitsugaya told her.

"That's not... that's not true!" she insisted. "Aizen-sama, he is a good man, I would follow him to the ends of the world if I had to."

Teal-green eyes closed in disappointment. "Then that's just where you'll be headed." He turned away from the girl and to Matsumoto, who had remained by his side. She looked saddened, but not ready to speak out against Hitsugaya's decision.

When she finally registered that her lord had told her to take most of the soldiers back home, she looked to him. "What are you planning to do?"

"I'll use Ukitake-san's Ichou to contact Ichimaru-san and inform him of the situation, and also to relay the information to Ukitake-san back home." It had been a struggle, but together with Urahara and Hisagi, Hitsugaya had managed to convince Ukitake to stay in Shikaku. The sickly man had wanted desperately to run home once he heard it was being attacked, but Hitsugaya assured him that if he was injured, the situation would be far worse. "Mikaku will be arriving shortly, I'm sure of it," he continued. "I'll use the remaining soldiers here to care for the wounded until they arrive."

"Alright," Matsumoto agreed, casting one, last glance back to Hinamori before turning to her underlings. "You heard Hitsugaya-sama, I want fifty of you to remain here to aid the wounded and the rest follow me!" A chorus of agreement was shouted and the voluptuous woman bid farewell to her leader before departing.

After she was out of earshot, Hitsugaya turned back to Hinamori. "I'm not going to kill you, I have no reason to, but if you really wish to seal your fate, get out of here and return to Aizen before I change my mind."

Hinamori had composed herself and finally stood once more, her tear-brimmed eyes glowering with frustration, confusion, and disappointment. She stared hard at the lord. "My fate _is _Aizen-sama," she told him. The two spoke nothing more to each other as she pulled what was left of her pride off the battlefield that had become Choukaku's land.

* * *

After discussing his options with Hitsugaya, Ukitake decided to gather Urahara and Hisagi and head back to Choukaku to do damage control. As promised, Hitsugaya granted them transportation home and they headed off to the east.

Shortly after their departure, Hisagi (who had been staring out the small window) sat up a little straighter, drawing the attention of the other passengers. "What's that?" he muttered.

"What is it?" Ukitake wondered, joining his subordinate in gazing out the window. Across the barren tundra of Shikaku was a parade of soldiers marching behind a much shorter leader. At first, Ukitake thought that it was Hitsugaya already returning home, but he knew that must be in error-- he communicated with the young leader not an hour again through the Ichou.

Urahara sent a glance out the window before sitting back. "Ah, so it's Rukia-san."

"Rukia?" Ukitake repeated, looking more closely. Sure enough, the younger sister of Mikaku's lord was marching steadily ahead with a large number of Mikaku soldiers in her wake. "Stop, please," he ordered the driver, who immediately did so. The three stepped out of the carriage and Ukitake called out to Rukia.

The black-haired girl stopped in her tracks and looked across the dry land towards the lord she thought she was heading to defend. "Ukitake-san?" she asked, before rushing to his side. "Are you alright?"

The older one offered her a smile. "I'm fine, and yourself?"

Rukia, instead of answering him, barraged him with questions. "Why aren't you in Choukaku? Have things quieted down there? Are you injured? What about the city, how many are injured? Do you still need us?"

Ukitake raised his hands in a defensive gesture, trying to calm her down. "Rukia-chan, please, relax." He placed one hand on her shoulder to emphasize his point. "I was never in Choukaku, I've been staying with Hitsugaya-san since before the attack."

"But you're heading there now, right?" she asked, much more calm than before. "I'm coming with you."

"It's fine," he assured her, "go on back to Byakuya."

"At least take some of my soldiers as guards on your journey there." She was desperate to try and help this man, who was so precious to both her and her brother.

"I have two of the best guards this world could offer," he said, motioning to Hisagi and Urahara, "but thank you for the offer."

Defeated, she sighed. "Nii-sama was planning on sending Renji out with most of our remaining troops a day after I left, in order to come and assist you and your kingdom."

"How thoughtful of him," Ukitake remarked, smiling, "but is all of that really necessary?"

_"You know how dear you are to him," _she thought, studying the sickly man, _"maybe even more so than I am, how can you ask something like that?" _Instead of questioning him, she simply shrugged. "You know Nii-sama, always ready to take action where he deems it fit."

"Very true," Ukitake agreed, "but please, if you see Renji-kun on your way home, tell him to turn back as well. I fear that, with everything that's been happening, Aizen-san will target Mikaku as well. Also, can you tell Byakuya that I appreciate everything he's doing for me, and that when things are settled in Choukaku that I'll visit him again?"

"I know you two have been friends since you were children," Rukia said, "but just how close are you two?" She had certainly never heard anyone address her brother so informally, and definitely never with his approval. Yet, Ukitake seemed to do it so freely. Even more interesting, Byakuya, who was always so appropriate and formal, referred to Ukitake as Juushirou, and not by a proper title.

"Well, let me put it this way," Ukitake began, placing a hand on her head. "We're close enough that, if anything should ever happen to him, he's asked me to watch over you and care for you as if you were my own sister."

Hearing this news for the first time, Rukia immediately saw the man before her in a new light. She had always held a respect for Ukitake, having known him her whole life as her brother's dear friend, but she could never pinpoint why he was so admirable when he seemed so fragile. She finally realized it-- where Ukitake lacked in physical strength, he made up for twofold in mental strength. He wasn't a dangerous opponent or an intimidating one, but his friendships were true and his bonds strong. The fact that he was the only lord out of five that her brother considered worthy to announce an alliance with spoke depths about his character. At least, that was what she thought.

"I'll report your message as soon as I return back," she promised, "and have a safe trip."

"That's my line," he commented, chuckling, "and thank you, Rukia-chan, I'll speak with you soon." He nodded to Hisagi and Urahara, who both waved a farewell to Rukia and followed their lord back to the carriage.

* * *

(searches for excuses under a few rocks before giving up) Maybe I'll find one during the next couple of chapters. ANYWAY. I can't even remember what happened in this chapter x-x. So... we'll just move on to the reviewers!

Flawed Imagination, judikickshiney, HeroJess, Hair-Noodles, fangirl666, Lady Charliie. Thanks for reviewing!


	11. Final Outcome of the Battle

**_Kataku_**

_Chapter Eleven: Final Outcome of the Battle_

* * *

"Tired of fightin' already?" Ichimaru asked, smiling across his desk to Ichigo. The two were back in the Kan lord's study, though it was both of their assumptions that Zaraki and the rest were still fighting outside.

"I didn't want to get in Zaraki-san's way," Ichigo told him, glancing over his shoulder toward the door, "but I wonder why he switched sides so suddenly. Is it really just because Aizen betrayed him? If so, why didn't he attack Shokkaku from the beginning?" He wondered this last part aloud more than he was actually asking a question.

Regardless, the silver-haired man answered. "I'm quite impressed with how interestin' Kira-kun has turned out to be."

It didn't seem much like an answer to any of his questions at first, but as realization dawned on him, Ichigo turned in his seat to face his lord again. He studied the grinning face for a few moments before reaching his own conclusion. "You were waiting to see if Zaraki-san had been affected by Kira to the point where he would take his side over Aizen's? Is that why you told Hitsugaya-san that you had everything under control even though we were being overpowered?"

"Ya got a good eye for that sorta thing, don't ya?" Ichimaru had been betting on Kira changing Zaraki's mind-- he could see it in the way Zaraki spoke to him when they first arrived. The fact that Zaraki regarded him at all (then again when he didn't kill him) was a sign that Kira had somehow worked his way into the Kyuukaku leader's life.

"It's all because of you," Ichigo insisted, bringing Ichimaru back to the conversation, "from watching you and learning from you." He flashed Ichimaru a grin. "I owe you a lot, especially since you've treated me as well as you have." Ichigo knew he was being sentimental, and that Ichimaru would shrug it all off, but he had never been one to bite his tongue if he was feeling something in his heart.

"You're very kind with your words," the older one said, "but I agree that it's a good thing we met."

It was times like these that made Ichigo proud to serve under his king. Even if Ichimaru was cold sometimes, he was faithful in what he said. _"He acts strange around me, not like he does with everyone else," _Ichigo thought, _"but I guess maybe he's just not close to anyone else to open up like that." _He was, in fact, happy about this-- he wanted to retain that place in Ichimaru's heart for as long as he could.

* * *

"Hey, this is a pretty nice room," Yumichika said admiringly, looking around Kira's bedroom, "very beautiful." Apparently, Ichimaru could color coordinate. "It seems Ichimaru-san takes better care of his servants that Zaraki-sama."

"Just a little," Kira admitted, "but even so, it feels empty sometimes." He was still in unfamiliar surroundings, even if he was growing used to Kan and its people. Before he could reflect on everything that could happen, he looked to Yumichika. "How is everyone in Kyuukaku doing?"

"We're all the same as we have been," the soldier assured him, "even though Zaraki-sama has gotten lazy lately with his work. No one can really convince him to do it; it seems you were the only one that could."

Kira smiled slightly at hearing this, glad that Zaraki hadn't changed on him. "So he has a lot backed up?"

"Well, usually if someone mentions you and how you always persisted with him, he'll do it a bit quicker." Yumichika found it amusing how predictable Zaraki was in that sense, and also endearing how much he seemed to miss Kira when he himself was the one that sent the boy away. He doubted Zaraki regretted a bit of it, though, since they all knew the warring land of Kyuukaku wasn't the place for Kira.

"I kind of miss pestering him about it all; Ichimaru-sama has Ichigo-san to keep him in line. It almost makes me feel a bit useless," he added as an afterthought.

The (slightly) more feminine of the two tried to reassure his friend. "You'll settle down into your new role soon. Enjoy the peace now while it lasts-- I'm sure that's not the last we'll be seeing of Aizen. Even though, with all the other kingdoms against him, I doubt he'll try anything too soon."

"I hope so," the blonde murmured. "Even though Aizen-san always seemed nice, I always got such an uneasy feeling around him."

"That's odd," Yumichika told him, "seeing as how everyone else gets an uneasy feeling around Ichimaru-san. There must be something wrong with you to be comfortable around him," he decided.

"It's not strange," Kira said in his own defense, though couldn't exactly explain why. Instead, he changed the subject. "How much longer can you stay?"

Knowing he had to return with Zaraki, the soldier shrugged. "Until Zaraki-sama is done having his fun, so not much longer." Shokkaku's forces had already been severely depleted by the time they left the battlefield. Seeing Kira's hopeless expression, Yumichika tried to cheer him up. "I'll come see you, though, and now with our kingdoms allied, it'll be much easier."

Kira nodded his appreciation of the comforting words and hesitantly leaned his head on the other's shoulder. Of course, Yumichika had no problem with this, and slid an arm around the younger boy. It was unspoken that, since they had little time left together, they would spend it in silence. Kira had always preferred the quieter times, and Yumichika simply thought too much senseless talking was ugly of the conversationalists.

The narcissist noticed a smile creeping across Kira's relaxed face, and he couldn't help but give a small smile himself. _"He always was much prettier those times he was happy."_

* * *

One after another, bodies slid from Zaraki's blade as he swept the battle grounds clean of Shokkaku soldiers. As one more man (who looked more like a boy, shaking in his boots as the demon approached him) fell to his knees, the life taken from him, Zaraki scanned his playground. Anybody with a white bandana attached to it was stained in red and strewn across Kan's land. No other soldiers rushed him and the next to approach him was someone he couldn't cut down.

Ikkaku rested his double-edged spear over his shoulder, a wide grin on his face. "Zaraki-sama, I can't find any more Shokkaku soldiers left," he said, "and the ones I did see were hauling ass so quickly that it would have been a real pain to chase them down." Not that Ikkaku didn't love a good chase every now and then, but only if it was satisfying in the end. Foot soldiers that were fleeing for their lives were not something he considered rewarding.

"Leave some of them for later," Zaraki suggested, resting his large battle axe on the ground. "We'll be leaving soon, anyway; as soon as Yumichika and the blonde brat catch up or... whatever the hell they're doing in there."

Ikkaku wrinkled his nose at the implication. "Zaraki-sama, you don't really think Kira and Yumichika would..."

"Never know, I always did think those two were a little fruity." Fruity was a word that should never have passed through Zaraki's lips.

Ikkaku began dragging up all sorts of horrifying mental images and shuttered at the thought. He was going to jump to his comrade's defense when he realized that would be a bad idea. For one, he didn't need Zaraki thinking _he _was fruity, and also... he wasn't sure he completely disagreed.

"Zaraki-sama, Ikkaku-san," Ichinose greeted, sheathing his sword as he ran up to the pair and bowed. "Shokkaku's army has retreated, what was left of it, anyway, and the Kan soldiers are also heading back to their castle."

"Well, it was fun while it lasted," the lord said, "but now that Shokkaku's all on its own, I doubt many wars will spring up."

Despite his lord's beliefs, Ichinose didn't share the same views. "Peace can be a good thing, sometimes."

Ikkaku, seeing that Zaraki was disturbed by this statement, jumped to Ichinose's defense. "Well, sure. I mean, if we were fighting _all _the time, it would never be any more exciting that it normally is," he said quickly. "With downtime in between battles, we get to anticipate who we're gonna cut next."

Zaraki's condescending look morphed into a grin. "That's true," he agreed.

The bald-headed soldier sighed-- Ichinose was never afraid to speak what was on his mind, even if it would put Zaraki in a bad mood. He noticed the black-haired man looking in the direction of Ichimaru's castle. "Is something wrong, Zaraki-sama?"

"Nah, I was just wondering if I should tell Ichimaru I'm leaving." He shrugged, deciding against it. "But I'm under no obligation to say anything. He'll figure it out on his own; we'll leave as soon as Yumichika gets done doing whatever he's up to."

A few moments passed by of an awkward silence between Zaraki, Ikkaku, and Ichinose. The Kyuukaku lord was trying to maintain a dignified pose while being bored out of his mind, his right-hand man was glancing between him and the castle, waiting for his companion, and Ichinose seemed to be lost in thought. After a minute, Zaraki muttered Ikkaku's name.

"Yeah?"

"Go get Yumichika."

* * *

"Guess we're gettin' a formal goodbye, anyway," Zaraki muttered, arms crossed and an annoyed glint in his eye. Ikkaku and Yumichika were standing next to him, Ichinose already having departed with the rest of the soldiers to head back to Kyuukaku. In front of him stood Ichimaru with Ichigo and Kira at his side.

"Come again soon," Ichimaru said, sounding much more hospitable than he really was. "We'll have tea."

"I don't drink tea," Zaraki informed him, glancing at Yumichika, "though, the fruit does."

"Fruit?" said boy gasped, raising a hand to his chest. "Me? Zaraki-sama, is that what you really think?"

Ikkaku said nothing, but folded his arms behind his head and closed his eyes. _"Let's go, already, I'm sick of this eternal night crap." _

"If you really want to get me back, then we'll fight next time I come." Kenpachi grinned, looking to his fellow king.

Ichimaru tucked his arms inside of his sleeves. "How about you fight Ichigo?" he suggested. "He'd be much more entertaining than I would."

"Can't you fight?" Kira asked, glancing past Ichigo to his lord.

"Sure I can," the fox-faced man told him, "but I'm sure Ichigo would be much more fun for Zaraki-san."

Ever ready to show his skills off, Ichigo grinned. "I'll fight ya, anytime."

Kira studied the two in slight confusion; had they switched personalities? Ichimaru, who was usually so laid back and informal, was now speaking polite and carefully. On the other hand, the generally more reserved of the two (as far as he had seen) was now acting as if he wanted to take anything on that he could. Perhaps it was an after effect of the battle?

"Don't think you're gonna leave me out of the action," Ikkaku interrupted, glaring at his companion before turning his attention to Ichigo. "You still owe me for fighting with Yumichika instead of me earlier."

"I'll take you both on at the same time," Ichigo challenged.

"How about we go right now?" Ikkaku asked, grabbing his weapon and leaning towards the orange-haired boy.

"Sounds like a fine plan to me!" Zaraki announced, readying himself.

"My, my," Ichimaru muttered, "and right after a war? You three are certainly of a choice breed, aren't you?"

"I thought we were here to say our farewells," Yumichika said. "If not, I don't want to be left out of the action." He _was _a Kyuukaku soldier, after all, and deep within him was the fiery spirit to cut down everyone in his path.

"You, too?" Kira asked, though knew better. He knew he could have never made it serving under Zaraki-- he simply didn't have a fighting will. Not that everlasting peace was an appealing idea, either.

"Three on one is quite an ugly situation, though." Yumichika frowned.

"Eh, that's right," Ikkaku sighed, "or else I wouldn't have held back earlier."

"I was wondering why you did," the Kan soldier muttered, losing the excitement of the moment.

Zaraki seemed equally as unpleased with the prospect and stood up straight again, looking to Ichimaru. "We'll be going now."

The silver-haired lord nodded and Kira took that opportunity to bow to the three opposite him. "Goodbye, Ikkaku-san, Yumichika-san, Zaraki-sama." Old habits did die hard, and Kira was living proof of it.

Zaraki grinned and patted the blonde roughly on his back, forcing him to straighten up or topple over. "Why are ya bowing like that?" he wondered. "You're not mine anymore, so don't go showing respect to everyone that isn't your leader or you'll look like a fruit, too."

Yumichika narrowed his eyes at this comment, but let it go, as it seemed to lighten Kira's spirits. The ex-Kyuukaku citizen smiled gratefully at Zaraki. "Goodbye, then," he said, again.

"Yeah, later." With their final words of parting, Zaraki, Ikkaku, and Yumichika set off towards home.

"Look at that." Ichimaru grinned a little wider, knowing it would be Kira's first time seeing it. Kira was about to ask what his leader was talking about, when he looked towards the south and his breath caught in his throat.

Throughout the twilight-ridden land of Kan, the dark shadows that crept in every crevice of the kingdom slowly melted away into brilliant color. The sky burst with orange and yellow hues as the large sun that Shokkaku and Kan shared rose slowly over the horizon. Within a matter of minutes, it propelled itself over the peak of the land and spread its light everywhere, bathing the castle and its occupants in a glittering shine. As alluring at the stark-white castle was in the darkness, its ivory walls and flower blossoms shone with brilliance in the light.

Kira stared in awe at the land, and found that, in the light, it was just as beautiful as any other. The depressing reaches of shadows made it appear, on the surface, to be a barren land of nightmares. However, when his blue eyes took in every detail-- the blooming plants, the clean-looking castle, the proud king in his light-bathed kingdom-- it was really something to behold.

"One twenty-four hour day out of every seven," Ichigo recalled, "the Kingdom of Kan will be bathed in light, and its polar opposite, the Kingdom of Shokkaku, will be drenched in darkness."

It seemed poetic, almost, that the victors of the recent war be rewarded with their single day of happiness, while the defeated drowned in blackness.

* * *

Haha, poetic. XD, you can thank my recent cosplaying-shopping binge for this update. Don't ask how, just do it. I'm excited. I'm going as Kira to youmacon in October and Sango to ohayocon in January. I plan to have way too much fun and be exhausted for work the night I return. Anyway, hopefully I'll update again soon.

0mohni0, judikickshiney, Flawed Imagination, Lady Charliie, fangirl666, and Hair-Noodles. Thanks for reviewing!


	12. Ichimaru's Past Revealed

_"It's been a whole week since Zaraki-sama left," _Kira thought, slowly making his way towards his room. _"I haven't heard anything from anyone outside of Kan."_

That wasn't surprising, though. After things settled down and the conflicts died out, each kingdom (aside from Mikaku and largely Shikaku) were severely injured and healing their wounds. Choukaku had it the hardest, and Shokkaku wasn't far behind while Kyuukaku was naturally okay and Kan had come out better than anyone expected. Tensions were higher than ever between Shokkaku and the rest of the world, and everyone was waiting to see who would make the next move.

Inside Kan, emotions were also raging their own wars. Kira, after seeing Yumichika and Zaraki again, felt more confused than ever about where he really belonged. He knew that he couldn't survive among the battle-ready Kyuukaku soldiers, but he didn't feel that he was really fitting in with the two-faced citizens of Kan. It seemed everyone there had another side to them, and it was something Kira certainly wasn't used to.

Despite all of that, Ichigo had made him feel more comfortable than anyone. Even though there was no real way to tell time in Kan, the people themselves went into high and low times of each 'day'. Hectic activities like shopping and milling around calmed down every now and then, when most of the citizens were asleep. Things were no different inside the castle walls, and whenever things calmed for the night-shrouded bedtime, Ichigo always visited Kira in his room. They talked about this or that, but the subject didn't really matter-- Kira was just happy to have someone he could relate to again, and that would listen to him. Ichigo, in many ways, reminded Kira of his old confidant, though without the constant relating of things to their beauty.

Though Ichimaru still made him a little nervous, Kira was slowly warming up to him (and so he thought vice versa). He almost always greeted Kira if they passed in the halls, and occasionally asked how he was feeling. Even though the words sounded fake and made just for the point of conversation, Kira thought it was a nice gesture and probably one Ichimaru didn't put forth very often. All in all, Kira didn't mind it much in Kan, after all. The lack of excitement every once in a while made relaxing much easier, and he didn't feel as if he were always walking on glass to try and ask someone a question.

With all of these thoughts and reflections running through his head, Kira barely noticed hushed whispers right around the next corner. He caught himself from intruding on the conversation at the last moment, but didn't (as he should have) immediately block the conversation out. When he heard that the voices were none other than Ichigo and Ichimaru, he shamelessly turned his ears to their low tones.

"I would rather not," Ichigo said, sounding put-off by whatever idea Ichimaru had proposed.

"It's not really an option," Ichimaru replied, more firm than he usually was with Ichigo, "it's necessary."

"Necessary things never turn out well."

"But they _are _necessary."

"I still don't want to," Ichigo was being very stubborn (something he usually wasn't with Ichimaru). "I want to stay here with Izuru-kun." That caught Kira's attention and he listened in more, edging closer to the corner that kept him hidden from view.

"When did you two get so close?" Ichimaru wondered, his tone light and inquisitive.

"We've talked some since the war ended," Ichigo told him, offhandedly, "but you sound pretty jealous."

"Jealous?" the lord repeated. "Not at all, I think it's great ya two are gettin' along. However," his voice was serious once more, "I still need ya to go."

And, once more, Ichigo refused. "I don't feel right going without any explanation. Why do you want me to go so badly to Shokkaku and kill Aizen? It's exactly what he was trying to do, but you have no reason. He's not a threat to anyone with his army the way it is."

"Ichigo, Ichigo," Ichimaru sighed, sounding as if he were scolding a child. "I know Aizen better than that, it won't be good if he's left alone."

At this point, Kira knew he was hearing things he really shouldn't and had no right to. With respect for both of the conversationalists, he slowly backed away from the corner and backtracked the way he had come to find another path to his room.

:SCENE:

Ichigo and Ichimaru, however, were far from finished with their conversation, and the air seemed to thicken once the two were left alone. Ichimaru's closed eyes met with Ichigo's determined ones and it took a moment before Ichigo spoke again.

"Why are you asking me to do this?" Ichigo pressed.

"It's simple," Ichimaru told him. "I don't want Aizen alive anymore."

"That's obvious," the orange-haired boy muttered under his breath. "Why?"

"How would ya like t' hear a story?" Ichimaru asked, shifting back into his ever-cheerful tone.

Ichigo was slightly taken back by the question, but nodded nonetheless. "Alright." He was a little wary of what his lord might tell him, but interested at the same time-- perhaps he'd get to learn a little more about the deceptive man.

"Let's go back t' my study, then," he said, taking the lead, "away from wandering ears." Ichigo consented to follow, wondering if Ichimaru had noticed someone spying earlier.

Once inside, the two took their respective seats (Ichimaru behind his desk and Ichigo in front of it) and Ichigo waited for the older one to start whatever tale he was about to tell. Ichimaru made him wait for several minutes before finally speaking, to his relief.

"Ya know how Aizen is Shokkaku's lord, and I'm Kan's," he began, "but it wasn't always supposed t' be that way. In fact, I ain't related to the previous ruler of Kan at all."

"You're not?" Ichigo asked, furrowing his brow slightly. "Why are you here, then?"

"Aizen and I are half-brothers, related by our father, who was Shokkaku's previous lord," Ichimaru ignored the shocked expression this elicited from Ichigo, "but despite Aizen always actin' so friendly, he never really warmed up to me." He paused here, looking thoughtful for a moment. "Maybe it was 'cause I was the acknowledged heir-- he was born out of an affair, and so he was kept from the public eye for the most part."

"If you're the rightful heir," Ichigo said, still looking confused, "why are you in a place like this while he gets Shokkaku?"

"The cause of death of our father was never rightfully determined, so it was easy t' blame anyone," Ichimaru continued. "Aizen chose to blame my mother, framing her for the incident and sayin' that I wasn't right to be a ruler with a parent like that. O' course, everyone agreed with him, and he banished me from Shokkaku."

"That's terrible," Ichigo muttered, disturbed by this. Aizen acted nice and friendly, though it was easy to tell his smile was fake (more so than Ichimaru's because it looked oh, so real). Still, to think he could do something like that, and for what purpose?

Ichimaru didn't seem particularly bothered by it, or perhaps he had suspected Aizen of such behavior from the very start. "Anyway, after I left Shokkaku, I ended up here by some chance. Yoruichi-sama, the previous ruler, took me in and raised me like her own. I'm sure ya can guess that the reason for Kan and Shokkaku's continuous disputes is 'cause of mine and Aizen's relationship; it's likely it'll continue 'til one of us is dead."

A million questions swarmed Ichigo's head; too many to count. First, though, he had to know. "Do you think your mother's still alive?"

Ichimaru took the question into consideration like he'd never thought about it before. After a moment, he shrugged. "Honestly, I couldn't tell ya, but if she was accused of murderin' my father, I doubt she'd still be around."

_"How can he talk about his mother's death so lightly?" _Maybe Ichimaru was more cold-hearted than he had thought, but he couldn't hold it against him at a time like this. Instead, he moved on to his next question. "Why did you never say any of this before?" Had only desperate times called for such measures? Was Ichigo not worth anything more than that?"

"Draggin' up past memories," Ichimaru told him, "isn't such a good thing. It's why I've never asked you or anyone else 'bout your past."

Ichigo supposed that made sense-- if he'd had a past like that, he wouldn't want to hear any other stories, either. Taking it all in stride, he nodded. "You and Aizen share the same father, but you have different last names." The question was obvious: Why? Sure, it would be confusing to have two 'Aizen-sama's or two 'Ichimaru-sama's, but if that's the way it was, that's the way it was.

"Aizen was my father's name, Ichimaru was my mother's." That was simple enough. "When I came here, I took my mother's maiden name so that it wouldn't raise any questions 'bout Aizen and myself." He waited for another question, and when none came, he smiled just a little more. "No more questions?"

"It's a lot to take in all at once," Ichigo confessed, rubbing his head. "I'll... just let all of this settle in." He sighed to himself before looking at his lord. "I understand now, though, why you want me to go to Shokkaku."

"That's why I adore ya, Ichigo," the silver-haired ruler said approvingly. "Now go get some sleep before ya set out."

Ichigo nodded wearily, knowing he'd have no problem getting to sleep tonight. As he padded down the hallways towards his room, he paused by Kira's door and thought to knock. He then realized that he'd be distracted, thinking about all he'd been told, and that he didn't want questions from the blonde. Deciding against talking with Kira for now, he continued down the hall to his own room.

Now, since I'm sure you've all recovered from the shock of me updating in less than a month, we can promptly move on to more important matters. :D I'm going to Youmacon and Ohayocon in October and January, respectively. I'm going as Kira to Youmacon and Sango (yes, from Inuyasha, stfu) to Ohayocon. I'm excited, and I hope nothing gets screwed up.

fangirl666, Youko-Kuronue, Flawed Imagination, 0mohni0. Thanks for reviewing!


	13. Invasion in Shokkaku

_**Kataku**_

_Chapter Thirteen: Invasion in Shokkaku_

* * *

Pausing at his lord's study, Renji raised a hand to knock and announce his presence. Just before his knuckles rapped the wooden door, though, hushed voices from inside stopped him. He furrowed his brow and leaned in closer to get a better listen, determining that it was (once again) Ukitake Juushirou that was with his leader. He glared at the door for a moment before dropping his hand and sighing to himself. "Why is he here again?" Turning his back on the door, he departed from the study, still muttering to himself. "He's here as much as he's in his own kingdom." Wasn't that irresponsible?

"My, my," Urahara chuckled, having approached Renji while his back was turned, "you don't seem to get it, do you?" The redhead's frustration amused him to no end, but mostly because he seemed ignorant of the situation-- it would be rude not to shed some light.

"Get what?" Renji demanded, not at all surprised that the hat-wearing man was also in Mikaku. If he searched around, he was sure he would find Hisagi, as well.

"Isn't it obvious," Urahara asked rhetorically, "that our lords are very fond of each other?"

"I know _that _much," the younger man said impatiently. He never liked talking with Kisuke for this reason alone: He always beat around the bush and left him to his own interpretation of the words.

"Are you sure you know _how _much?" Urahara didn't elaborate, but a mischievous smile crept its way onto his lips.

"What do you mean?" Renji asked, frowning when he received no answer. "What do you mean?!" he demanded again, more forcefully. He couldn't mean... no, not that.

Despite the other's aggravation, Kisuke only laughed. "It's not my place to go around speaking of royalty's personal business."

"You should really watch what you say," Hisagi warned, stopping to join the two on his travel to who knows where. He hadn't heard the full conversation, but by the looks of it, Urahara had chosen to get on Renji's nerves in a serious way. How did he always manage to do that? Well, it couldn't be _that _hard with someone like Renji, but still...

Renji was nearly seething, looking like he was about to either attack Urahara or run through the door and attack the two lords inside. Instead, when Hisagi voiced his name and a question of what was wrong, he turned from the pair and dashed down the hallway.

Hisagi watched after his comrade and looked to Urahara for a second. "What have you done now?"

"Nothing, nothing," Kisuke assured him, waving a hand. "Just a little pay back for last time."

* * *

Unlike Kyuukaku's garden that was over-exaggerated and otherwise barren, Mikaku's garden was lush and beautiful. The warm weather and cool rains provided a perfect atmosphere for a bounty of colorful blossoms from flowering plants and trees alike. Rich in water, as well, Mikaku could spare enough to run a trickling stream through its castle's garden to bring an even more pleasant atmosphere as well as to provide enough water for the plants. Patches of like-colored flowers burst through the ground all throughout, and sakura trees spotted the walkways. Tame and flowing, the garden seemed very fitting of its leader, as Kyuukaku's did its lord.

This was where Ukitake was found later in the day as the sun began its descent. He swung gently back and forth under the canopy-topped swing, admiring the beauty of the garden and taking in the fresh scent of flowers and running water. It was one of the few places he felt most serene, another common one being the back porch of his castle, facing the singular vast forest that Choukaku held.

"You." The single word uttered from pure disgust broke Ukitake's relaxation and caused him to glance to the side where Renji was glaring daggers at him. The redhead was a stark contrast to his peaceful surroundings, and set everything into chaos. Determining that the conversation he was about to have was serious, Ukitake sat up a little straighter and stopped his back-and-forth motion.

"Abarai-san," he greeted with a smile, despite Renji's scowl, "what brings you out here?"

"Don't play at that game with me," Renji growled. "I want to know something." His frustration and anger had built up through the course of the day, and he finally left Rukia's side to track down the Choukaku lord, sure that he would still be in the castle.

"What is it?" the white-haired lord asked, wondering if he had done something to upset the younger one so much.

"What is your relationship with Kuchiki-sama?" the redhead demanded.

"You're interested in something like that, all of a sudden?" Ukitake asked, tilting his head slightly to the side.

"What is your relationship with him?" Renji asked again, gritting his teeth. "Are you two together?"

Ukitake's smile, instead of fading, only widened a little. "That's some powerful observation skills you have," he complimented, "I had thought Byakuya and I kept our relationship quite discreet."

_"So it's true," _Renji thought, his anger mounting with every passing moment. _"Urahara-san was right about it all." _

Ukitake studied his friend's subordinate for a moment, noticing that he had become very silent, though was nearly shaking with what he assumed to be rage. Concerned, a frown touched his lips, "Abarai-san?" Still no response. He sighed softly to himself and closed his eyes. "Renji-san?"

Vivid, angry green eyes flickered before snapping up to stare at Ukitake. Who the hell was he to call Renji by his given name? Conceited bastard. Reaching his limit of tolerance, Renji growled out. "What the hell is so special about you?" he demanded. "Why in the world are _you _so close to him?" Not giving Ukitake a chance to defend himself, he continued on out of apparent grief. "Why does Kuchiki-sama care so much for _you_ when _I _am the one that would die for him and serve him loyally until I do so?!"

"I understand why you're so upset," Ukitake told him, still calm and unaffected by the hatred being directed at him. Of course, this attitude may have only served to upset Renji further. "When Byakuya and I were young, we were always together, and pretty much all we had. I lost my parents at a young age, and he despised his. I suppose we should have known if we spent too much time together, we would become too close, and sure enough, we did." The hint of regret in his voice calmed Renji's nerves just the slightest-- enough to have him stay still and listen. Ukitake finally opened his eyes again, a soft, sad smile in them as he looked to the redhead. "As childish as I was, I still knew my feelings for Byakuya, and one day, I told him. Of course, being how he is, he never said anything about it, but I could tell that he felt at least a resemblance of the same way."

"But why..." Renji frowned, still not understanding. Childhood memories? Was that it?

"It's not love we feel for each other," Ukitake assured him, perhaps startling him with the news, "only a closeness that only best friends can share, and a promise never to be separate from each other."

"So...you're not together?" Renji asked, begging for clarification. Why was Ukitake reminding him a lot of Urahara right now? Perhaps the sandy-haired man had picked up his habit of never specifying anything from his lord.

"We are affectionate, every now and then," Ukitake confessed, smiling slightly, "but we're not intimate with each other, if that's your concern."

"I see..." Sighing, Renji lightly sat next to the one he had been ready to attack earlier. Though his silence was a more thoughtful one this time, he still seemed disturbed about something.

Ukitake pressed the matter lightly. "Why is it you're so interested in our relationship?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Renji said quickly. The humility and regret he heard in Ukitake's voice when he spoke of his past caused Renji to question why he was really so upset. The man sitting next to him certainly wasn't a bad person, and was probably the reason his lord wasn't a complete bastard all of the time. So what if Byakuya was close to someone else? It wasn't like he hated Renji, and Ukitake's effects might even be the reason he was as open with his subordinate as he was.

"What are your feelings for Byakuya?" the white-haired man asked gently, and smiled slightly when he received only silence as an answer. "You don't need to worry, I won't say a word."

Renji leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and stared at the slow-running stream. Finally, he muttered in a low voice, "I guess I can see why Kuchiki-sama is so fond of you; I can't really blame him for being how he is around you. It's just...frustrating." He refused to pour his heart out to Ukitake, but he had never been able to completely control what he said.

"I'm happy," Ukitake told him, causing those same green eyes to glance to the side, "that I've met as many people as I have, and that I have the relationships I have." His timid smile widened even more. "Even with you, Abarai-san."

For some reason, Ukitake's kindness and happiness rubbed off on the younger one, and Renji broke out in a small grin of his own. "You don't need to be so formal with me," he said, "no one else is."

"I didn't want to assume we were close," Ukitake told him.

"We weren't," Renji assured him, "but we can be. Renji is fine." As Ukitake agreed, Renji felt his anger drain from him, _"This is really unlike me, to become calm so quickly... I really hated him not even an hour ago." _He studied Ukitake out of the corner of his eye. _"He must have some kind of calming powers with the way he is and how he talks." _Renji decided then that it was really no surprise Byakuya was drawn to this man, surrounded by all the loud-mouthed and hot-headed idiots that he was.

* * *

Aizen was staring intently out his library/study window, a steaming cup of tea in his hands. His mind was racing with what action he should take next, that would both assure him victory and Ichimaru a quick demise. His plotting and scheming was interrupted with a knock at his door. As expected, Hinamori stuck her head in the door, a worried expression on her face. When he instructed to enter, she did so, and softly closed the door behind her.

"What's wrong?" he asked, tilting his head in her direction.

"Aizen-sama," she spoke timidly, "despite all of the effort you put into planning out your victory, Shokkaku came out losing in the end." She paused, nibbling on her lower lip thoughtfully. "Will you try something like this again?"

"Is that all you're worried about?" he wondered, gracing her with a smile. "You don't need to worry, I won't make the same mistake twice." He heard her breathe a sigh of relief and added, "The end is far from here, and when it does come, I'll be sitting at the top."

These words plunged Hinamori right back into concern. _"More than ever, now, I'm starting to think that Aizen-sama is losing his grip on reality."_ She was worried, not afraid, only concerned about her dearest lord's well-being. "I don't want to lose you," she admitted, casting her gaze to the floor.

Seeing her down-trodden look, Aizen stood from his seat and glided over to her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and met her with that same smile when she looked up to him. "I won't be going anywhere. For now, you should try and enjoy the peaceful times while they last."

"Shokkaku's defenses are so weak now," she reminded him. "Won't anyone try to retaliate against us?" More so than Ichimaru, who was the obvious guess, Hinamori was worried about Hitsugaya's opinion on what Aizen had done. He had said he preferred to stay out of things like this, but he was also very upset at what had happened.

Despite her beliefs, or perhaps because he just didn't know, Aizen assured her, "The only one who would think to do such a thing is Ichimaru-kun."

"Why do you two hold such a grudge against each other?" she wondered. She knew the two kingdoms had been fighting for such a long time, but she never knew why. Was it really because Aizen and Ichimaru hated each other? Aizen never spoke like he hated Ichimaru, and she didn't think he would be so childish as to war with someone while having no reason. At the same time, she knew he wasn't the kind of person to fight for another's cause (she had already counted out the idea that Aizen was carrying on his father's grudge against Kan). There seemed to be no explanation, other than personal matters between the two lords.

"Well, you know how some people just rub each other the wrong way." That was his explanation.

Hinamori stared up at the man, trembling with frustration. Why wouldn't he tell her the truth? What kind of secret was he keeping behind that smile? Instead of barraging him with questions she knew wouldn't be answered, Hinamori stepped back toward the door. She quietly excused herself and left Aizen to his cooling cup of tea by the window seat.

* * *

Three days had passed since her last conversation with Aizen, and Hinamori remained as confused as ever. She milled ideas around in her head like a ferris wheel out of control, but reached no conclusions. What kind of explanation was it that he had given? It had to be a lie, didn't it? She refused to believe her lord would out-rightly lie to her, so he must have a good reason for keeping her from the truth. Was it to protect her? That must be it.

While pondering what he could be protecting her from, the brunette nearly missed one of the soldiers racing up to her. He immediately feel into a kneel before her and spoke quickly. "Hinamori-san, it has just been confirmed that an intruder has entered the castle grounds."

"Wh-what?" she gasped, attention fully trained on the situation at hand.

"It has also been confirmed that it is a single enemy, and his identity is Kurosaki Ichigo from the Kingdom of Kan. He is approaching the castle quickly from the northern direction. What are your orders?"

"Sound the alert," she ordered, her eyes hard, "I'll go to intervene him." In harsh situations like these, another side of Hinamori came out. She could order nearly anything without blinking an eye and kept her resolve firm. It was what made her the perfect soldier.

As quickly as he had come, the Shokkaku soldier dashed off and Hinamori made her way towards the northern boundary line, which connected Shokkaku with Shikaku.

* * *

_"Should it be this easy to sneak in?" _Ichigo wondered, running quickly through the shadows that the bright sun cast over the land. As opposed to Kan's never-ending shadows, these were much sparser and made concealing himself much more difficult. It was disorienting enough coming from the night-ridden Kan to the bustling brightness of Shokkaku, but Ichigo had to be on alert for anyone that might spot him and give away his cover. However, despite all of these obstacles, the trained soldier was doing well for himself.

At least, so he thought. The castle was in his sights and it was certainly Kan's polar opposite. It arched high over the land, visible from miles away, and struck out against the bright sun with soul-consuming darkness. While Ichimaru's castle was a stark white contrast to its darkened surroundings, Aizen's castle was a pitch black hole in the middle of a bright and cheery land. Ichigo couldn't imagine how these two places ended up so opposite, but figured it suited the leaders' personalities and never-ending feuds well.

"Kurosaki!" The shout of his name caused Ichigo to skid to a halt and dart his eyes around, looking for whoever had spotted him. It didn't take long for him to notice Hinamori, steely-eyed and posed for a fight. She stopped her pursuit of him only yards away. "Why are you here?" she demanded.

"I knew it couldn't be so easy," Ichigo mumbled to himself, sighing; he had been so close.

"Why are you here?!" she called out to him again, louder and more forcefully.

"I'm here on orders from Ichimaru-sama," he told her, for once the calmer of the two. "If you get in my way, I'll have to kill you."

"I won't let you get another step closer to Aizen-sama," she said in a determined voice. Her hand readied itself on the hilt of her sword, but though her gaze stayed strong, her arm began to shake as Ichigo sighed once more to himself and unsheathed his own blade.

* * *

Omgwtf, where did I go? I can't believe I ever lost interest in this fic. I love my reviewers, seriously. You guys are awesome and if I could buy you all presents, I would. I read over the last chapters reviews and started grinning so wide. =B I'm an idiot, I know, but forgive me? I shall give you chapters aplenty to make up for the wait.

Sea MoonDragon, ShouldaSeenThatOneComing, smileandwave, PlayfulSylph, Hair-Noodles, fan_girl_666, Flawed Imagination, and 0mohni0, I LOVE YOU. Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews~


	14. The Mystery of Shihouin Yoruichi

_**Kataku**_

_Chapter Fourteen: The Mystery of Shihouin Yoruichi  
_

* * *

The sounds of fighting filled the air as Hinamori and Ichigo's blades clashed roughly. Ichigo quickly overpowered Hinamori's small stature and she retreated back a few steps to reassess her situation. Seeing an opening in the warrior's defense, she quickly rushed towards him again. Her smaller form and training gave her a great speed advantage over the more brutish Ichigo, and as she feinted towards the left, he swung his sword down to meet her. Stopping suddenly, she dodged to the right and ducked past him, thrusting one of her blades into his shoulder.

Ichigo hissed out a curse and forcefully swung the flat side of his broadsword into the girl, knocking her to the ground. She recovered frighteningly fast and jumped back up into a fighting stance once more. Her breathing became slightly heavier, but her form stood sturdy and her eyes remained cold and ruthless, much unlike the passionate girl he knew from previous encounters. Once more, Hinamori rushed Ichigo and at the last moment, jumped high into the air. Caught off-guard, it was all Ichigo could do to block her next rain of assaults.

She landed behind him and expertly spun around, planting a kick in the small of his back. He lost his balance and she pursued the opening, but the orange-haired soldier recovered before she could attack him again, and swung his large blade at her head. Hinamori ducked barely in time, gasping slightly as small strands of her hair fluttered down around her. He had come way too close and she knew then that she couldn't keep this up forever. She retreated once more to catch her breath and Ichigo mimicked her actions, taking the opportunity to check his wound.

Blood was pouring from the hole in his shoulder and it seemed that it wouldn't stop anytime soon. The damage had weakened his grip on his broadsword, though he was far from out. He narrowed his eyes slightly at the girl a few yards away from him. _"I didn't think she'd be so much trouble," _he thought. However, as annoying as she had been, he finally saw a weakness in her defense. She was fast, yes, and she kept on her feet, but that only meant she couldn't be hit often. Her superior agility made up for her pathetic endurance; all he needed was one, good hit.

_"Why hasn't the alarm sounded yet?" _she wondered, chancing a glance at her surroundings. Soldiers should have surrounded them by now and Ichigo should be defeated. However, she was still on her own, and she knew she couldn't keep on her feet forever. Defeating him was out of the question for someone of her level and ability, and even keeping him busy while help arrived seemed an increasingly hopeless option.

"You shouldn't leave your defenses open!" she shouted across their personal battlefield. By the time Ichigo looked up, she was nearly to him and ready for the next round.

Ichigo went for a body shut, cutting his blade towards Hinamori's stomach. She took to the air again, avoiding the dangerous blow, but was caught off guard when Ichigo stopped his follow through short and redirected his aim upwards. Unable to maneuver well in mid-air, Hinamori cried out as her leg was cut into and blood rained down on the ground. She managed to leap away from the Kan soldier and immediately fell to one knee, panting out her exhaustion of the extended battle.

Not wanting to give Ichigo a chance to pursue her new handicap, Hinamori tested her weight on her injured leg. It proved to be a fading hope, though, as her limb gave out on her almost instantly. Looking across the field towards her opponent, she saw that though she had injured him, Ichigo was still able to wield his sword easily and looked prepared for another few rounds before he became worn out.

_"I knew it," _she thought to herself, emotions returning to her steady form, _"I knew I could defeat him. He's above my level."_

"You shouldn't leave your defenses so open," he called out, mockingly, "but I guess it can't be helped when you're in the position you are." He slowly advanced upon her, letting the severity of her situation sink in and the fear rise in her throat. "It's the end of the line."

Despite the dread she felt and the impending doom reflected in her enemy's blade, Hinamori put on a strong front and narrowed her eyes. Still, she was worried. _"Why has the alarm yet to sound?" _she wondered again. _"Did he come with backup?"_

Ichigo casually swung his broadsword to rest on his shoulder as he drew nearer. He didn't wish to kill the young girl, her eyes were still innocent earlier and he hated to smother that spark. However, she was also his enemy, and if he needed to cut her down to ensure a safer place for his lord, then so be it. A foreign sound stopped him in his tracks, and his first thought was that he had been detected (not that that was any surprise, with the commotion he and Hinamori had made). However, as his ears focused in on the noise, he realized that it was nothing more than applause. The fighters scanned the scenery and soon found the source of the noise.

"Aizen," Ichigo growled.

* * *

"Such large dinners," Kira muttered under his breath, "and I'm the one stuck cleaning up afterwards?" Ichimaru always provided excellent food for all of his subordinates, but the clean up was a nightmare. Dishes upon mounds of dirty dishes piled themselves into the sink, the table was splattered with food and drinks, and the chairs were always pushed askew halfway across the room from the soldiers' departure.

"It's not that bad," Hanatarou said encouragingly. Before Kira came, he had been in charge of the clean up, and though that responsibility had been lifted, he still helped the older one out. He paused from mopping the floor and smiled. "And I think it's worth it to have such nice meals."

"I suppose you're right," Kira agreed, returning a sheepish smile to emphasis his sincerity. As he looked towards the pile of dishes at his side, though, he sighed. "Still... isn't this a bit much to ask of one person?"

"I don't think Ichimaru-sama knows that," Hanatarou pointed out, "since I always took care of it all without saying anything."

"You did," Kira nodded, "but you could have said something to him."

The young boy shook his head. "It's nothing that we need to concern a king about. He has more important things to worry about right now, like Ichigo-san."

"Ichigo-san," Kira repeated, returning to his chores, "I hope he's alright."

Hanatarou smiled and followed suit. "He'll be fine, I'm sure of it."

"You both have a lot of confidence in him, don't you?" Kira asked, a little hopelessly. "That must be nice."

"Only because we know he can handle himself," the servant said. "He's not like us, he can do a lot of things we'd never even be able to dream of doing. He can fight a hundred enemies and win against them all, isn't he amazing?"

Kira rubbed his head. "Yeah," he agreed, "but it's not to say we're that useless, right?" This boy was certain admiring of Ichigo, but he was belittling himself and Kira in the process.

"We keep the place clean, so we're useful, too," Hanatarou agreed.

"Is that all we do?" Kira murmured as the warm water washed away the specks of food, aided by a little scrubbing. "Couldn't anyone do that?"

"Anyone could," Hanatarou told him, "but no one else will. So Ichimaru-sama relies on us for it."

Kira hung his head. "To be relied on only for something like that..."

"Saa, Hanatarou-kun, those types o' things will only bring Kira-kun down," a voice lightly scolded.

The two servants looked up to see their lord entering the kitchen, grinning as always. Hanatarou sweatdropped and stooped himself into a bow. "I apologize, Ichimaru-sama." Had what he said been that bad?

"It's fine, really," Kira insisted, adding a hopeful smile to his statement and a quick wave of his hands, "he didn't say anything too bad."

"Oh?" Ichimaru wondered, turning his attention on Kira. "Ya looked pretty offended t' me."

Hanatarou looked in Kira's direction, who immediately flushed having so much attention directed towards him; he shook his head. "No, it's not like that at all."

"Well, it can't be helped, then," Ichimaru sighed. "I s'ppose I was wrong." Oh, come _on_.

"Not to say something like that, either," Kira quickly told him. He was very good at talking himself into a corner, and Ichimaru was wonderful at leading him in.

"Well, which is it?" the king wondered. "Either it was bad or it wasn't."

"It wasn't bad," Kira assured him, "but I didn't mean to say you were wrong." Even if he was-- that was right, wasn't it?

"If I was wrong, then I was wrong," Ichimaru told him, "ya can't talk your way 'round that one."

"It's okay," Hanatarou told the both of them, "it's not serious, right?"

"'Course not," the silver-haired man told him, "ain't nothin' that bad 'round here."

Kira sighed a breath of relief and folded himself into a bow. "Excuse us, but we should resume cleaning."

"Ya two are doin' a great job," Ichimaru praised, almost mockingly, "keep at it." And with that, he turned and left the boys to themselves.

"Scary," Kira whispered after his lord had departed. Hanatarou nodded and quickly resumed his chores again.

* * *

"Aizen-sama!" Hinamori gasped, her eyes hopeful and ashamed all at the same time. She had failed to protect him, and even needed him to protect _her_. What kind of soldier was she? That she couldn't even fend off one intruder?

"You've done well, Kurosaki-kun, to come this far," the brunette praised. He turned his sights to Hinamori, who was still in shock from her sudden rescue. "Hinamori-kun, you did well to fend him off for so long."

Immediately, the girl shook her head. "It wasn't enough," she insisted, "If you hadn't come, I would be..." Mere moments more, and Aizen would have happened upon a still corpse instead.

"It's alright," he assured his subordinate in that same, calm voice she always loved, "you couldn't have been expected to defeat this person; this Demon of Kyuukaku."

The title rubbed Ichigo the wrong way, who growled out a curse and rushed the king. His sword swept down with a renewed effort, but was easily dodged. All of his feelings and rage, centered into the most powerful attack, was still no match for what secrets Aizen held.

"Such a temper," Aizen chided, "such a thing is expected of a Kyuukaku native, though, isn't it?"

Feeling his blood heat and his temper break, Ichigo pursued Aizen, viciously attacking him with everything he had. He no longer wanted to assassinate the man in front of him in his king's name-- he wanted to destroy everything Aizen was. A shout erupted from his lungs as he swung his blade down where Aizen stood. He grinned as the metal made contact with something.

"Aizen-sama!" Hinamori shouted once more, and stood to rush to his side. Her wound, however, sent her kneeling once again and her eyes brimmed with tears and frustration. Her spirit cooled slightly only once the dust from Ichigo's attack cleared, and she saw that her ruler was unharmed.

Instead of the expected injured form of Shokkaku's king in front of him, Ichigo received the glint of metal. Aizen had drawn his own blade in the last moment and single-handedly blocked the younger one's assault. He held his sword as casually as one would a pencil, and his expression remained as nonchalant as ever. His smile spread a little, confirming his arrogance, when Ichigo realized that his attack had had zero effect.

"Bastard!" Ichigo hissed, and was sent flying back moments later by Aizen's own attack. He barely raised his sword in time to defend against the quick, brutal strength of his new opponent. Having become temporarily soft from the ease of which he brought Hinamori down, Ichigo adjusted his attitude to a more serious one as Aizen's powerful strikes pushed him backward. He gritted his teeth, the clashing of blades reverberating down to his very bones and shaking his soul awake. It had been so long since he had met this sort of resistance in battle.

As Aizen raised his katana above his head for another, more deadly attack, Ichigo seized the opportunity and swung his own, larger blade towards the man in front of him. Pain seared through his body as his eyes watched his attack stop short. Aizen had been quicker, and the same shoulder that had been injured before spurt new blood down his sleeve. Quickly, he knocked Aizen's arm away and jumped back, away from the king. His right arm fell to his side, completely useless from the two gaping wounds it had already received.

_"Not like this," _he vowed to himself, _"I won't die here this way." _His constant use of both hands on his sword led opponents to believe Ichigo required the strength of both arms to hold up his heavy blade. However, the added strength was unnecessary, and only used for that deceptive tactic. As he switched his dominant hand to the usable arm, though, he felt his breathing become heavier and his vision blur. Aizen was an unexpected addition to the fight and he was stronger than Ichigo had anticipated.

The brunette gave Ichigo only a moment to recover before rushing him again, just barely missing a swing that would have taken the boy's head off clean. Fighting wasn't his style, he much more would rather solve the matter with words; however, Ichigo had injured Hinamori badly, and Aizen knew the Kan soldier wouldn't be willing to talk anything over. Ichigo had come to kill him, and until he was dead himself, he wouldn't stop pursuing his goal-- that was just the type of guy he was.

However, even if he had to resort to fighting, he wouldn't make unnecessary movements and aimed to finish things quickly-- every swing of his blade was drawn with the intent to kill. Stepping into his next attack, he went for Ichigo's heart. The teen retreated just in time, though came away with a fresh cut across his heaving chest.

Blood clotted into his hazel eyes and Ichigo's vision became fuzzy once more. He had lost a lot of blood and taken a severe amount of damage. He knew his limits, though, and knew that he would refuse to reach them just yet. Ichimaru had never told him what to do if he found himself in a hopeless situation or a fight he couldn't win. He knew this was because his lord never expected Ichigo to meet an enemy he couldn't cut down, and so he promised himself to never fight a battle and lose. Losing would mean death with the way he went into a fight, and death would mean he could no longer serve Ichimaru. That was out of the question, and so he had to win. Though he could barely see in front of him and his single arm was struggling to maintain power, he stood tall and kept his composure. There was no way Aizen would win, he had nothing real to fight for. His spirit was not that of a warrior and the only thing he had to offer his sword was strength with which to swing it. There was no way Ichigo could lose to someone that couldn't even offer their blade a fighting spirit.

"Aizen!" he yelled, his legs rushing him towards the end of their bloody battle. He swung his sword high and met Aizen halfway, bringing his blade down for one final attack.

Suddenly, as the two clashed, a burst of fire and smoke blasted the two apart. Ichigo and Aizen retreated just in time, avoiding any lasting damage from the explosion. They scanned their surroundings, silently demanding whoever interrupted their fight to show their face. Aizen was the first to spot the newcomer, and his amused expression said everything.

"I never thought you would return to these Anchor Kingdoms," he greeted, meaning Shokkaku and Kan.

Ichigo narrowed his eyes at the woman that approached them, but didn't recognize her. Dark skin, purple hair, and cat-like eyes, she looked dangerous with her laid-back and serious attitude. As Aizen spoke again, Ichigo's eyes widened in shock.

"Shihouin Yoruichi."

* * *

"We're finally done!" Kira announced, holding his dishtowel up in a victorious gesture. Hanatarou was nearby and gave a happy grin, holding his mop close.

"That took a while, didn't it?" he asked.

"Yeah," Kira agreed, "but at least we can relax now."

Hanatarou nodded and no sooner had the two put their things away then Ichimaru had stuck his head into the kitchen door.

"Hanatarou-kun, Kira-kun," he greeted, as informal and friendly as ever.

"Ichimaru-sama," Kira whispered, "what does he want now?"

"We finished cleaning everything!" Hanatarou announced proudly.

Kira's eyes widened. "Hanatarou-kun, don't tell him tha-!"

"Oh?" Ichimaru murmured, taking a look around the kitchen. "Well, then, ya better get ready t' prepare breakfast!"

* * *

We all need humor to mix up the drama, yes? I wonder who has it worse, Kira and Hanatarou, or Ichigo? Speaking of, LOOKATTHAT. Yoruichi's here. Convenient for Ichigo, isn't it? Lucky boy, that one. =D Review?


	15. Secrets Told, Yoruichi and Ichigo Meet!

_**Kataku**_

_Chapter Fifteen: Secrets Told, Yoruichi and Ichigo Meet!  
_

* * *

"I thought you were long gone," Aizen commented, keeping his cool composure in Yoruichi's presence.

"You couldn't be that lucky," she shot back, her own arrogance rivaling that of her rival. "I hid in the unseen shadows here in your bright kingdom, just waiting for the day to exact revenge upon you for what you did to Gin."

"Aizen-sama?" Hinamori asked, her voice small and timid once more. "What is she talking about?"

Aizen kept his back turned to the girl and Yoruichi grinned when he refused to answer. She looked to the younger female. "You mean you don't know?" Of course she didn't. "Let me tell you a little secret, then."

"A secret?" Hinamori repeated, frowning.

"Your precious Aizen has been keeping some things from you, hasn't he?" Yoruichi sighed. "For instance, did you know that he and Ichimaru are half-brothers, related by their father," Hinamori was stunned silent, "or perhaps the fact that Aizen accused Gin's mother of their father's death, and got the rightful heir to the throne banished from his homeland?" Now her eyes were brimming with tears, confused by what she was hearing. "And maybe you'd be interested to know that your noble king held such a grudge against Gin's mother because he was born of an affair, and was always treated inferior to Gin, and that he blamed that kind woman for hating him and his father, and that was why she killed him."

Hinamori could only look at Aizen, shocked, her eyes asking questions her throat couldn't voice. Aizen denied none of it, but turned his now-serious gaze on Yoruichi. "And how are you sure that none of this is true?" he asked. Who was to say Ichimaru's mother _didn't _despise her husband for cheating on her, and Aizen for being a constant reminder of such?

"The time for talking is over," Yoruichi told him, "you have no excuses and so you try to turn things around on me. What a coward." She narrowed her eyes. "I'll do something that should have been done years ago."

"And what would that be?" Aizen wondered, a hint of amusement playing in his voice.

"I'll kill you," the cat-eyed woman told him.

Hinamori knelt in silence, letting all of her lord's faults sink into her at once. Had Aizen lied? Would he continue to deny it? No... He couldn't possibly be that way-- he was a great man! She stood, ignoring the pain rocketing through her injured leg, and gave one burst of energy to stand in front of Aizen, calling out his name.

"I won't let you attack Aizen-sama," she said, resolutely, but was stopped short by an all-too-familiar blade.

Ichigo narrowed his eyes, and though his body was battered, his posture said all it needed to: He wasn't letting Hinamori interfere. Yoruichi was his lord's mentor and caretaker, and no matter what her motives were, he would defend her as if he were defending Ichimaru himself. Of course, it didn't hurt that she was bent on taking out the one he had been sent to kill.

"Hinamori-kun," Aizen spoke softly, "you've done enough, stay back."

"But... Aizen-sama..." she trailed off, a frown creasing her delicate features. Was she being useless? Had she done nothing? How could Aizen still say such kind words to someone who had been defeated? She knew, though, that was just the type of person he was, and with that knowledge, she also knew there was no way the things this woman accused him of were true.

"Everything will be over soon," he promised. He rushed Yoruichi, calling out to her. "Your unfortunate habit of never carrying a blade will be the end of you this time."

His sword swooped down on her with lightning quick speed, yet met with only air. A few feet away, Yoruichi stood proudly, arms crossed, and a smirk on her face. "What do I need a sword for," she wondered, "when no one can ever land a blow on me?"

Calm as ever, though perhaps slightly annoyed, Aizen chased Yoruichi down, gracefully swinging his blade down upon her several times. The quicker of the two was always one step ahead, though, and dodged each attack easily. After a few more moments, she grew bored and turned her attention from Aizen to Ichigo.

"So you're Kurosaki Ichigo?" she asked, pausing in her flee from Aizen's ongoing assaults.

Ichigo blinked, taken back by the casual way she outpaced Aizen. "Y-yeah." His eyes widened slightly as the king came up on her quickly, sure of his victory this time. "Don't look away when you're fighting!"

"It's fine," she assured him, and jumped back from the attack at the last moment, leaving Aizen to stumble on his follow through, "he couldn't catch me in a million years."

_"She's fast," _Ichigo thought, watching the woman dash circles around Aizen at inhuman speeds. _"What is she?"_

"This is boring," she told no one in particular, then turned to Aizen, "enough is enough." She skidded to a stop, kicking up dust and waited for the man to approach her.

"Don't underestimate your opponent so easily," Aizen warned, appearing in front of her and bringing his blade to her head.

"You should take your own advice," Yoruichi shot back as her leg flew up to meet his wrist. One, well-placed kick and Aizen's katana flew from his grip and soared through the air, away from its owner. Hinamori's distant voice yelling out her lord's name was lost in the sound of solid punches impacting Aizen's stomach.

He doubled over with each hit and after the fourth punch, snapped his hand around Yoruichi's wrist. He yanked her down towards the ground and pulled an identical short-sword from his belt. His confident smirk reigned supreme once more. "My sword was only one of a set," he informed her, "you should have known better."

Now Ichigo creased his forehead in concern and edged toward the pair. However, Hinamori pointed a blade at his back and he got the hint-- neither of them could do much for their comrade in the state they were in, anyway.

"Don't worry about it, Ichigo," she called out, raising her hand up towards the sky. Three sets of eyes widened as she shouted out. "Fire Release!" and flames erupted from her hand and spread out towards her enemy.

Aizen immediately jumped back away from the woman and narrowed his eyes slightly. Soon, though, his expression softened and he closed his eyes. "So the rumors are true."

"What... what was that?" Ichigo stammered, in awe of what he'd just seen. Had Yoruichi just used magic?

"I can't say I'm too surprised, though, and it's to be expected from the sole survivor of the only clan in Kataku to possess magical abilities, Shihouin Yoruichi." Aizen knew then that he was up against an opponent he would have to strive to win against, and he didn't wish for Hinamori to see him in such a way. Turning, he looked down upon his subordinate. "Come, Hinamori, we'll retreat for now."

"Don't think you're escaping so easily," the woman called after him, holding her hand out to prepare for another attack.

"Instead of coming after me," Aizen said, bracing Hinamori, "you should be more concerned about Kurosaki-kun."

"I have no interest in a soldier from Kyuukaku," she told him.

"Didn't you notice?" Aizen asked, sending a smirk in her direction. "The boy is no longer under Kyuukaku's rule, but Kan's."

Startled, Yoruichi snapped her head towards Ichigo, her eyes scanning his upper arm. Sure enough, where she had expected a flaming red armband to don his wardrobe, he instead wore a pitch black cloth. When had Gin acquired such a dangerous subordinate? Before she could react, Aizen and Hinamori had fled the battlefield, leaving Yoruichi to tend to the wounded Ichigo.

* * *

Ichigo let out a grunt as he fell to the ground, Yoruichi's support having left his side. She sat down next to him and crossed her legs, studying him for a long moment.

"What is it?" Ichigo asked, a little uneasy under her piercing gaze.

"We've crossed over into Choukaku," she announced, motioning to the rich landscape around them, "so we can rest for a bit. We're still a couple days away from Ukitake's castle, and even further from home."

"Yeah," the orange-haired soldier agreed. An uncomfortable silence settled between them before Ichigo spoke again. "I've got some questions for you."

To his surprise, Yoruichi let out a short laugh. "I have just as many for you." She motioned towards him. "You can go first."

Ichigo didn't need to be told a second time, and immediately asked. "Are you really the Yoruichi that Ichimaru-sama spoke of?"

"I am," she confirmed, satisfied to hear that Gin hadn't forgotten about her and wasn't too bitter towards her.

"Why did you leave him so suddenly?" Or, maybe he wasn't that happy.

Yoruichi sighed and rubbed her head. "I just had some urgent business to take care of."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "Urgent business for five years?"

How much did this kid know? She waved a hand. "It's nothing you should worry about."

Slightly more satisfied, but still wary, Ichigo moved on. "Why did you return so suddenly, then?"

Yoruichi's expression changed to one of annoyance as she smacked the boy. He let out a short yelp, but she ignored it. "Have you lost your brains? I left to take care of some business, so now I'm obviously done what I had to do!" He was hopeless!

"You shouldn't hit an injured person!" Ichigo shouted back, rubbing his head.

"You're a big boy, aren't you?" she teased. "You can handle it." When Ichigo didn't respond, she crossed her arms again. "So, are you done?"

"Yeah," Ichigo murmured, dropping his hand and waiting for the barrage of inquires to be turned on him. Instead of firing off questions, the woman remained silent. Her eyes pervaded every inch of Ichigo's body until the latter became irritated. "What are you looking at?" he demanded.

"The Demon of Kyuukaku, huh?" she muttered before a secretive grin broke out on her face and she closed her eyes. "What strange company you keep, Gin."

"I'd rather if you left that title behind," Ichigo told her.

"It can't be helped, can it?" she wondered.

"It can if you help it!" Ichigo shot back-- who was this woman, anyway?

"It's something you deserve: A Kyuukaku-born soldier that easily surpassed military ranks and even challenged Zaraki Kenpachi in strength and brutality." Ichigo sent a disgruntle look off to the side while she easily recapped nearly his entire life. "Not to mention a person whom single-handedly gave Kyuukaku its reputation as a war-hungry country, and whose image every soldier aspires to imitate."

"Is this a question?" he demanded, giving her an irritated look.

"Alright, alright. So, then, why did you leave Kyuukaku to serve under Ichimaru?" she asked, opening her eyes again.

"Still about this?" he muttered and raised a hand to rub his head again. "Battles were like breathing to me, and fighting was my sustenance, but battles aren't everything they're cracked up to be. I know how to fight well, but it's not all I want to do."

"And here you said you didn't want to talk about your past," she snickered.

He ignored her and continued. "Once I gained that reputation and that title, I knew it was time to look for something different in life. I knew stronger and stronger opponents would seek me out and eventually even Zaraki-san would challenge me. That wasn't something I wanted, to fight against him."

"Why not?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Isn't that what every Kyuukaku soldier wants? To defeat the strongest opponent they can?"

"Exactly," Ichigo murmured, glancing in her direction, "I would have defeated him." Zaraki had been his lord, and as much as he had hungered for the taste of blood and battle, he didn't want his king's downfall to be by his own hand.

"I see," she whispered, grinning, "maybe you weren't cut out for a place like that, after all." She knew Zaraki would have no problem cutting down Ichigo if it were fun. "Anyway, if you were leaving Kyuukaku, why did you go to Gin and not Aizen?"

Ichigo sighed and shook his head. "I'd met Aizen before, and he seemed like an untrustworthy person. I convinced myself he was only the type to use others, and I'm not the kind of person that likes to be used."

Yoruichi flashed her comrade a smile. "How is Kan doing? And Gin?"

The mood lightened considerably and Ichigo waved a hand. "The same as always, of course." Who would expect the kingdom of never-ending twilight, or the king that ruled over it, to change?

"He's always been that way, even as a child," she commented. "So he hasn't changed a bit."

Ichigo nodded. "Kan and Kyuukaku recently became allies as well."

Yoruichi's cat-like eyes widened considerably upon hearing this. "Is that so? How did something like that happen?"

"Aizen went behind Zaraki-san's back and attacked someone without informing him of it," Ichigo told her. "It looks like he was just using Zaraki-san to help him win his own battle." He gave her a look that told her he and Zaraki were one and the same in the sense that they didn't like to be used.

She grinned at this. "I see."

Ichigo continued, "I think there's another reason for it, though."

"Oh?"

He nodded. "A boy named Kira Izuru." Speaking the name gave him a sense of nostalgia and he wished that they were closer to Kan.

"Never heard of him," she confessed, "who is he?"

"He's from Kyuukaku, but was given to Ichimaru-sama as a gift when he defeated Kyuukaku in a battle." Though, it wasn't much of a battle, to be honest. "I think he's someone important to Zaraki-san," he added.

"I never thought someone like Zaraki would be so soft," she commented, amused.

"Me either," Ichigo agreed, "but I'm glad that someone finally got to him. When I served under him, our relationship was always so barbaric, there was no meaning behind it that most could understand."

"But you two understood it perfectly well," she guessed.

"That we did." He let a slip of a grin out, remembering how they got to know each other's fighting stances so well that they didn't even need words. Shaking his head, he brought himself back to reality. "Once I started serving under Ichimaru-sama, we had no problem becoming close."

"I'd be careful," she warned, losing her smirk, "Gin isn't someone you should get too close to."

"Trust me, I know." The two shared a look, confirming that they could bond in several ways over the Kan lord.

Another moment of silence passed between the two and Ichigo stretched his limbs. "Well," he said, pushing himself to his knees, "I think I've rested enough."

"We'll stop by Choukaku's castle first and get your injuries bandaged," she told him, rising to her feet. She hadn't suggested it; it was an order.

"Choukaku was attacked recently," Ichigo informed her, finally standing, "I'd rather go to Shikaku if we have to go anywhere."

"That's an extra day's walk," she reminded him.

"I know, it's fine." He showed a bit of sympathy by adding, "Ukitake-san doesn't need more to worry about."

When Ichigo's stubborn gaze met her own, Yoruichi smiled again. "Alright," she conceded and followed as Ichigo led the way to Shikaku.

* * *

Go Yoruichi. Too bad she couldn't off Aizen right then, but that would kind of ruin the whole thing, wouldn't it? I wonder what Hinamori will do now? Will she continue to STILL follow Aizen blindly, even though he's kind of avoiding the situation and all questions? She dense, but we have to give her some credit, yes? Then again, she could rival Kira with the loyalty issue, so she might just not care. I guess we'll have to see.


	16. Kuchiki's Pride vs Byakuya's Heart

_**Kataku**_

_Chapter Sixteen: Kuchiki's Pride vs. Byakuya's Heart  
_

* * *

After much consideration and convincing, on Ukitake's part, Renji finally decided to track down his lord and confess to him his thoughts. He had been opposed to it at first-- he wasn't the type of person to outrightly admit when he felt something for someone, and even with questioning he barely saw himself admitting such a thing. Ukitake, however, told him that was exactly the type of person Byakuya didn't like, and that if Renji wanted to be anything in his lord's eyes, he wouldn't be afraid. Renji attempted to deny his fears, but he knew that was what had been holding him back thus far. Not wanting to be hindered by his thoughts anymore, he found Byakuya in the castle courtyard under a canopy of cherry blossom trees.

"Kuchiki-sama," Renji called out, stopping the man in his tracks.

Byakuya glanced over his shoulder to his subordinate, studying him through half-lidded eyes. "Renji," he spoke softly, "what is it?"

Renji froze, his throat dry and his lips unspeaking. He could only stare at his lord's back, flickering his gaze tentatively up to his eyes. He felt like a fool, but then again, that's exactly what he was. A fool in love. He cursed himself, screamed at his soul to speak out, but still nothing came. He was absolutely hopeless.

"If you've nothing to say, then I'll be on my way." Byakuya's voice never changed, not the slightest hint of sympathy for the obviously-struggling boy. What good would sympathy do, anyway? No one's courage was coaxed out of them by kind words and concerned looks.

"Wait," Renji finally breathed out, reaching an arm out to catch Kuchiki's sleeve. His hand tightened around the fabric, sure that he could keep the man there if he just held on hard enough.

Once again, Byakuya glanced over his shoulder to study his second-in-command. Just what was this boy's problem now?

"Ukitake-san," Renji murmured, knowing the name would be enough to hold Byakuya's attention until he could stumble his words together in the correct order. He took a moment, and as expected, his lord waited for him. "Ukitake-san," he repeated, "told me that this was a good idea. He said that it would be alright to tell you, and he sounded sure, so I thought that it would be okay." He spoke lowly and quickly, his eyes never daring to merge with the noble's.

It had been Ukitake's idea? Well, if he was involved, the least Byakuya could do was give Renji his attention. He tugged his sleeve away from the loosening grip and turned to face the redhead, his eyes penetrating every thought that flew through Renji's head. Since when did the boy start acting this way? So nervous and childish? Well, nervous, anyway.

"Kuchiki-sama, I... I have feelings for you. Feelings that I know I shouldn't have, and feelings that maybe I don't want, but feelings that I have, all the same." There. He had said it. He couldn't outwardly say 'I love you', that would be far too inappropriate. He couldn't say 'I want to be with you', that would be way too desperate. Feelings were enough, and he knew Byakuya would get the message. After all, it had taken everything in him just to stutter out that much.

Byakuya remained silent, dignified, condescending. His eyes were trained, almost narrowed, towards Renji and his presence became no less intimidating. Perhaps, even more so. As Renji had been unable to speak before, this time Byakuya was the one to wordlessly relay his meaning. It wasn't that he couldn't speak, but there were no words he had in mind for Renji to hear at the moment. What kind of response was he expected to give to something like that?

Expecting at least a scolding or snide remark, Renji's eyes widened in shock when his lord did nothing but turn from him once more and continue on his way. "Kuchiki-sama!" he called out. "W-wait a minute!"

Only when he was several yards away did Byakuya pause again, though his head never turned to look back at Renji's pathetic expression. "You are a fool," he said smoothly, "no noble in their right mind would lower their self to exchanging such feelings with a commoner."

Renji's hands clenched and his throat shook with unshed cries. He steadily watched as the king departed from the courtyard, a flurry of cherry blossom petals closing off Renji's vision of the distant figure.

_"Damn him," _Renji gritted his teeth, _"Ukitake... bastard."_

* * *

Having dealt with the interruption that was Renji, Byakuya continued on his way. He swept through the courtyard and didn't pause to notice any of his surroundings until a large shrine came into view. He stopped in front of it, his eyes dancing over the smooth stone and etched markings that read his parents' names.

_"Mother, father," _he thought solemnly, closing his eyes. Thoughts of his encounter with Renji rushed through his head, and his actions stung his heart. He knew what he had done was the proper thing-- for him and Renji both. He whispered a prayer to the late nobles. "For the sake of the Kuchiki name, I swear to uphold the dignity you have-"

"Nii-sama," Rukia's abrupt greeting sliced through the serene moment.

Startled Byakuya opened his eyes and glanced to his younger sister, who was staring hard at him. Where had her manners gone? Interrupting her older brother while he was praying to their parents?

"Rukia, what are you doing here?" His voice was insinuative and demanding, as it had been with Renji. In fact, that tone rarely changed with anyone.

"I don't know what our parents were like," she began, "since they died when I was so young, and I don't know much what it was like to have parents. However, I do know what it's like to have an older brother that I never want to disappoint and whom I want to be happy." Was she really relating her view of Byakuya to the man's of his parents? Not hesitating, she turned her sights back to her sibling's and continued. "I overheard your conversation with Renji, by accident, and I know that the things you said must have been an influence of your parents. I know you care for Renji in some way, and those things you said were so..." Horrible. She wouldn't tell him that, though, the look on her face spoke loudly enough.

Byakuya waited a moment for her to calm down before he spoke, his voice still unchanged. "You're correct." He let it sink in and waited for her reaction-- a startled gasp. "However, to acknowledge Renji's feelings would mean to accept them."

"What's so wrong with that?" the shorter of the two demanded. "Why can't you accept his feelings?"

"I will not have the Kuchiki name dirtied by a scandal such as that." How noble. How proper. How absolutely terrible.

Rukia frowned, never suspecting her brother was that cold-hearted. She shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "Saving face is simple compared to what Renji is going through. You can't always worry about someone else's wishes, Nii-sama, sometimes you have to worry about your own!"

"Rukia," he murmured softly, his gaze staring her down, "this is not a place to raise your voice." She immediately shrunk back at these words and bowed her head, muttering a soft apology. "Why do you care about the relationships of others?"

Rukia raised her head once more, a soft smile on her lips. "As smart as you look, you're still an idiot," she whispered. "You and Renji are the two people most important to me in this world, how could I not care about what's going on with you two? More than anything, above all else, I want to see you both happy."

Byakuya fell into silence, his eyes drifting from his sister to his parents and finally closing behind moistened lashes. "I'm sorry."

Taken back, Rukia studied her brother. "What are you apologizing for?"

"I cannot follow my own wishes," he informed her, "I must follow the wishes of someone more important to me than myself." He looked back to her to see a downtrodden expression as her eyes were cast to the ground. Despite that, a foreign smile crept across his lips. "I must follow your wishes, Rukia."

Shocked, once again, Rukia snapped her head up to confirm the words that floated to her ears. Seeing her brother's kind features welled a warm feeling up in her heart that burst through her face in a pleased smile.

"Thank you... Nii-sama."

* * *

Grunts and the sound of metal whirring through the air filled the abandoned field. Renji let out a frustrated cry as he swung his blades into a battered and worn-down tree in front of him, obviously having been abused by the redhead for quite some time. It was Renji's own place to go when he was pissed or upset, and he always sliced his troubles away with his weapon, a pair of battle-worn scimitars. This time, though, as much as he chipped the bark away and cut into the soft wood underneath, the sting of his lord's words failed to dull.

This was where Byakuya finally happened upon his subordinate not too long after their initial meeting. He watched with a slight amusement as Renji cried out curses and vented all of his frustrations on the poor tree. Sensing that the hot-headed boy was no longer angry, but hanging on the edge of breaking, he decided to stop the 'training' session.

"Renji."

It only took that one word and said boy dropped his arms to his side, panting heavily. He glared at the tree in front of him before slowly sheathing his swords and stood up straight. Still, he refused to turn and face the man behind him-- he didn't want to see his face quite yet.

"What do you want?" he spat out. He knew it was disrespectful to talk in a tone like that towards his king, and he knew it was childish to let his emotions get in the way of his duty. Then again, Renji had always been just a bit childish and disrespectful from the start.

The smile had long left Byakuya's face and he now stared at Renji with those half-lidded eyes through which he saw most of the world. His voice carried no warmth as it spoke. "I will accept and acknowledge your feelings, but I cannot return them."

Was that all he'd come here to say? What a waste. "I already know," Renji muttered, shoulder slumping slightly, "and I know about you and Ukitake."

"I see," Byakuya murmured. He hadn't expected Renji to know about the relationship, but assumed that Ukitake told him during their apparent conversation.

"I don't care," Renji said, suddenly and loudly. "I wouldn't have even said anything, but he convinced me it was a good idea and, at the time, I trusted him." That trust had been broken as quickly as it had been formed.

"Juushirou's instincts are rarely ever wrong," Kuchiki agreed, "so for him to tell you to do something like that, he must have had a good reason."

Renji avoided the mental flinch of jealousy that came from hearing his lord speak of someone so informally. To ensure he let no emotions through, he turned towards the man behind him. Sure enough, upon seeing that passive face, Renji's eyes hardened and his heart molded over with distaste, masking the pain and frustration in both. "We should forget this ever happened," he suggested. What good would come of uneasiness between the two?

"If we do that, then it would be as if you ignored Juushirou's advice right from the beginning." Renji hesitated, knowing that saying he wanted to ignore the advice would result in Byakuya getting annoyed with him. Ignoring the objection in his subordinate's eyes, Byakuya continued. "Emotions are not something that can be ignored, regardless of how hopeless, foolish, or insignificant they may be."

Renji let out a dry chuckle upon hearing this. "It's unlike you to say things like that."

"You know nothing about the real me," Byakuya informed him, staring him down.

"But I want to," Renji pressed, feeling the heat rise to his face. What came over him to make him talk that way? Rukia must be rubbing off on him, her going on all the time about emotional stuff.

The noble sighed softly. "Perhaps someday we'll discuss matters further." Though, it was a day he could wait for, by any means.

"Why not now?" Ever ready to get things done, impatient, and unable to think of the future, Renji didn't _want _to wait.

"You're too confused with your emotions to take anything I say to heart," the king said, turning his back to the soldier.

Renji reached out a hand to stop his lord before dropping it. "There's no helping it, I guess," he sighed, "I'll wait then. Thanks, Byakuya-sama."

Hidden from Renji's eyes, Byakuya let a small, amused smirk cross his features at the new, more informal title as he left the forest and headed back towards Mikaku's castle.

* * *

D'awwwww. Bonding. Or something along those lines, anyway. Kind of a short, breather chapter before we dive back into the plot of it all. Things are wrapping up soon, though I have another nine chapters planned out, I believe. It'll go quicker than you think, especially if I actually update on a regular basis. This will be the last chapter for now, but I'll try to keep up with it on a more regular basis. So, with all of that said, review and keep me happy and I shall return the favor with updates. =D


	17. Gensaiban

Translation note

Gensaiban: Original judgment.

_**

* * *

Kataku**_

_Chapter Seventeen: Gensaiban  
_

* * *

Three days of travel found Ichigo and Yoruichi finally in front of Shikaku's castle doors. Worn and exhausted, the Kan soldier pounded his fist against the silvery door. Moments passed by and slowly, the door creaked open to reveal Hitsugaya himself.

Ichigo's shocked expression faded quickly back into his weary one as he sighed. "Hitsugaya-san, I didn't expect you to be the one opening the door."

"Answering a door is a meaningless task that I can do fine on my own," the shortest of the three said. His teal eyes surveyed the situation and narrowed considerably. "What happened to you?" he asked, then glanced to the woman. "And who is this?"

"Shihouin Yoruichi," she introduced herself. It was her first time meeting the young lord, but he was everything that people said he was-- a respectful demeanor, strong eyes, and a tiny stature.

It was the Shikaku's lord's turn to be surprised as he took another look at the woman in front of him. Slender figure, dark skin, and wild eyes-- she fit the description perfectly. So she was Kan's previous lord, and the one that took in and raised Ichimaru. For her to show up, and with a wounded Ichigo nonetheless, so suddenly at his front door, he wondered just what was going on in Kataku.

Ichigo quickly started speaking, feeling his energy drain from him. "Ichimaru-sama sent me to assassinate Aizen." He continued explaining everything he knew about the situation and how Aizen eventually overpowered him and Yoruichi saved him.

"That's reckless of Ichimaru to send you out like that," Hitsugaya commented after hearing everything. He wasn't that surprised that Aizen and Ichimaru had a history together, though the fact that they were related came as a bit of shock. "He must be worried about something."

"Now that I think about it, it's strange," Ichigo agreed. When Ichimaru had first issued the orders, he had been against it, but he had never thought that it was anything above the ordinary. To assassinate another king just like that was a large request and one that couldn't be taken as lightly as Ichigo had taken it. His eyes mirrored the concern he felt, but he raised no further complaints.

"It may be Gensaiban," Yoruichi murmured, half to herself. She was lost in thought, and suddenly looked up to Hitsugaya for confirmation.

"Gensaiban?" Ichigo repeated, never having heard the term before. Meanwhile, Hitsugaya remained silent, buried under his own thoughts of what was to come.

"Let's get your wounds fixed up first," the woman suggested, patting Ichigo on the back. As if just to prove her point, he winced from the rocketing pain such a simple action caused.

"Come on," Hitsugaya finally said, having finished whatever conversation he was having with himself. "I'll have dinner started as well." He turned and headed back into his castle with Yoruichi close behind.

Seeing that he was outnumbered, and his sore limbs and growling stomach pleading with him, Ichigo begrudgingly agreed and followed the two inside.

* * *

"Thank you for the meal," Yoruichi said, setting her chopsticks down. Ichigo followed suit and they both looked to the young lord seated across from them. Ichigo's wounds had been treated and they stuffed themselves with as much food as three days of hunger (longer, in Ichigo's case) would allow them. Hitsugaya nodded, but said nothing, waiting for Ichigo to ask his burning question.

"Yoruichi-san," Ichigo said, drawing their attention towards him, "what is this Gensaiban you were talking about earlier?"

The purple-haired woman opened her mouth to start explaining when she was immediately interrupted by the door next to her sliding open. The last person anyone expected to see, Zaraki Kenpachi, stood looming over the three seated. His single eye swept from Hitsugaya to Yoruichi and finally landed on Ichigo. Slowly, a grin broke out onto his face.

"Oi, Ichigo!" he boomed out.

"Za-zaraki-san?!" Ichigo stammered, eyes wide at the man's sudden appearance. "What are _you _doing here?"

"He arrived a while before you two," Hitsugaya explained, "mentioning something about Gensaiban, as well."

"Ichigo," Zaraki repeated, grinning, "you're lookin' pretty banged up. You've been out having fun again, haven't you?"

Unable to resist the mirrored expression of his old lord, Ichigo let out a sheepish smile and rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, so it seems." No matter how much he insisted that fighting wasn't what he wanted, whenever he was near Zaraki, he felt like he could take on the world, single-handedly. There was something about the man that called to the Kyuukaku soldier inside of him and stirred a long-ago burnt out fire in his heart.

"If you all will settle down," Yoruichi spoke, "I would like to continue."

"'bout Gensaiban, right?" Zaraki asked, plopping down next to Ichigo. "Then let's hear it."

The only female of the group nodded and began again. "Gensaiban. A point in time where the sun that orbits the four Inner Kingdoms and the one that lightens the Anchor Kingdoms align and cause a disturbance in the connection between the two dimensions." She paused to let the introduction sink in, then went into more detail. "When this happens, every inch of Kataku will be lit with a brilliant light. Even the deepest corners of Kan will be visible."

"Is all of this true?" Ichigo asked, furrowing his brow. It sounded like an urban legend to him.

"To my knowledge, it is," she confirmed, closing her eyes, "and this is also why I left so suddenly-- to learn more about it."

"Gensaiban... why is it called something like that?" the Kan soldier wondered, his head racing with horrible possibilities.

"Once every so many years, Gensaiban occurs and a particular person is chosen. This person has been called the Touta in the past, and has always been a king or queen of one of the six kingdoms. The Touta is given temporary power over both dimensions inside Kataku and can choose to leave the kingdoms as they are, or plunge them into chaos." She paused once more for the collective gasps and intense gazes. "Furthermore, I've learned that the Touta is almost always chosen from either the Kingdom of Kan or Shokkaku; only a handful of them have been from one of the Inner Kingdoms." The details were sketchy and pieced together, but given what she had to work with (not much at all), Yoruichi was a bit proud of herself. At the very least, she knew enough to prepare everyone for what was to come.

"So Gensaiban is why Ichimaru-sama and Aizen want each other dead," Ichigo concluded. "If either could take control of both Anchor Kingdoms, they'd be sure to be chosen."

Yoruichi nodded her agreement, adding one last bit. "I'm also assuming that's why Aizen has been so war-ready lately, as to eliminate any of the kings that he could, in order to increase his chances."

"How long?" It was the question that was on everyone's mind, and Ichigo was sure Yoruichi had the answer. From the pensive look on her face, she did, but it wasn't one they were going to like.

"In a week's time," she murmured, "it will all be decided."

Of course it had to be something so soon and so sudden. It wouldn't be an emergency if they had time to plan and think things out. Luckily, Ichigo was one for rash and instinctive acting. So it seemed, Zaraki was, as well.

The Kyuukaku lord looked to his old comrade. "If Aizen gains control of these worlds, he'll choose to annihilate them, for sure. While that sounds like a load of fun, it'll kill everyone else and I'll have no one to cut down." Ichigo had to smirk at Zaraki's reasoning, but mostly out of relief that the warmonger would be on his side. He continued. "As soon as you're healed up, I'm coming with you back to Shokkaku to take care of Aizen once and for all."

"I'm coming as well," Hitsugaya stated, the calm and collected look in his young eyes left no room for argument.

"I wonder about Kuchiki-san and Ukitake-san," Ichigo said suddenly, "will they join us?"

Hitsugaya nodded. "Gensaiban is everyone's concern because everyone has something they want to protect." He stood up, looking over the three guests. "I'll contact Ukitake through the Ichou and tell him about the situation."

"I brought Ichinose with me," Zaraki added, "I'll send him straight to Mikaku and deliver the same message to Kuchiki."

Ichigo quirked an eyebrow at how well everyone was working together, and even more so that Zaraki was making a plan. It was a little worrisome that his old lord seemed to think it necessary, but he also knew that with so much power on their side, there was no way they could lose. He stood as well, looking to Hitsugaya.

"Thanks for the meal and the bandages. I'm heading back to Kan now." He was sure Ichimaru and Kira were going to bombard him with questions about where he'd been for so long, and he also knew that Yoruichi's presence would throw things into even more chaos. As much as he wanted to enjoy the calm before the storm, he was looking forward to a little out-of-the-ordinary excitement.

"I'm returning home as well," Yoruichi said, rising to her feet. She sent Hitsugaya a smile. "Thanks for the hospitality."

The white-haired lord nodded. "I'd show you out, but-"

"Go on," Zaraki cut him off, "we can find out own way out."

Slightly perturbed at being interrupted, Hitsugaya nodded once more. "Have a safe trip, everyone." With that, he left to relay the news to Choukaku's lord.

Zaraki caught Ichigo's arm as he turned to leave and grinned down at him "I'll be looking forward to seeing how much stronger you've gotten."

Ichigo, once again, couldn't help but return the smirk. "You'll be sorry you ever let me go."

Yoruichi rolled her eyes, muttering a soft 'men' under her breath before grabbing Ichigo's other arm. Ignoring the surprised shout, she drug him back towards the castle's entrance. "Let's go, already, I'm sure Gin is throwing a fit about where you've been for so long."

Ichigo settled down and reclaimed his arm, falling into step beside the woman as they headed back out into Kataku.

* * *

Uber short compared to the last few chapters, but it has information in it, so I didn't want it to be overwhelming. Everyone's gathering together, so it'll be going down soon. IS ANYONE ELSE EXCITED? Good.

And to all my wonderful reviewers~ 0mohni0, LinkinParkFan2013, grasperfanboy, and fan_girl_666, Thank you! ^~^


	18. Kira's Discovery, Ichimaru's True Smile

_**Kataku**_

_Chapter Eighteen: Kira's Discovery and Ichimaru's True Smile  
_

* * *

Kira blew a cloud of steam from his cup of tea and tentatively took a sip of the hot liquid. He closed his eyes as it washed down his throat and let out a soft sigh as it ran through his body and calmed him. The mint-teased hot air billowed up into his face and set him at ease-- things had never been this nice in Kyuukaku, that was for sure.

"Ya really like tea, don't ya?" Ichimaru asked, interrupting Kira's peaceful moment. He leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, grinning as he always was.

"Ichimaru-sama," Kira murmured lowly, setting his cup down and standing, folding himself into a bow. "How are you today?"

The silver-haired man waved a hand to relax his servant. "No need t' be so formal every time we meet."

Kira nodded slightly and re-took his seat. "Ichigo-san has been gone a while."

It had been in that space of time that Kira and Ichimaru slowly grew closer and began to talk more and more. Ichimaru even opened up about his and Aizen's past, and upon being asked about Ichigo, told Kira about his second-in-command's history.

It had all come as quite a shock to Kira, naturally, but he was glad that he had learned everything he did. Having Ichimaru tell him about such things meant that the king liked him at least a little, right? Kira himself was growing more and more fond of the man with each passing day. It was no longer awkward when they met in the halls, and even his stiff-backed bows were more relaxed and accompanied with a smile. The '-sama' honorific was no longer forced, and Kira didn't mind Ichimaru calling him by his given name, which he had lately taken a habit to. It had taken quite some time, but Kira finally felt like he belonged in Kan.

"I wonder if he got held up," Ichimaru said, his expression changing to one of hopelessness. No matter where Ichigo went, he always encountered more than he had planned to and took much longer because of it.

"You aren't worried?" the blonde asked, his clear blue eyes reflecting his own obvious concern.

"Nah, not really." He said it so casually that it made Kira feel foolish for even suggesting that Ichigo would be in trouble. Ichimaru gave him a reassuring smile (one that closely mirrored his usual). "Ichigo'll be fine. After all, he wouldn't leave my side, even if it killed him."

Kira smiled and his fascination was mirrored in his wide eyes. "You two are so close, you put so much faith in each other. It's amazing," he added softly.

The Kan lord strode over to the younger boy and sat next to him. Kira blinked, but didn't shift away, and picked his tea back up, sipping at it again. "Ya seem t' be fittin' in well here," Ichimaru told him, though his attention was focused across the room and through the large window overlooking the eastern expanse of their lands.

Kira took a moment to collect his thoughts before speaking (it was still hard to keep a straight thought around Ichimaru, though he wasn't sure why anymore). "You're a lot different than I thought you were," he admitted. "I actually prefer you to Zaraki-san in a lot of ways."

The statement made Ichimaru smile just a little wider and he finally looked to the boy at his side. "I'm not real clear why, but I like ya, Izuru," he said, "ya got a sweet innocence about ya."

Kira felt a blush cover his face and he ducked down into his teacup as much as possible, not daring to look up into his lord's eyes, closed as they may be.

"You're also pretty fun t' tease," Ichimaru added. This made Kira's cheeks darken from embarrassment and Ichimaru let out a short laugh. "So, tell me, what d'ya really think o' me?"

Kira focused on the question and set his cup down, thankful that the attention had been driven away from him; he offered his lord a smile. "I wasn't lying when I said I prefer you." He wasn't sure 'like' was really the right word for what he felt towards Ichimaru, but at the very least, he respected and admired his new king. After a moment's hesitation, he asked, "What do you think of me?"

"I wasn't lyin', either," Ichimaru assured him, "I think yer sweet, maybe too sweet t' be in a world like this."

To avoid anymore blushing, Kira quickly changed the subject to his absent friend. "What do you really think of Ichigo?"

It wasn't meant to be a difficult question, but by Ichimaru's startled reaction, Kira could tell he asked something that wasn't expected. The fox-faced lord lost his usual grin and a thoughtful look adorned his face-- not a frown, per say, but also not a look Kira had seen too often. Ichimaru thought for a long moment about the question, and finally smiled again. This smile, however, could only be considered as soft, certainly not one Kira had ever seen before. It was easy to tell that Ichimaru was more fond of Ichigo than he let on.

"Ichigo's like no other I've seen before. Determined, strong-willed, loyal-- he's really the perfect person for me."

It was Kira's turn to be startled. It wasn't a shock, though, but more of a pleasant surprise. His smile kept its pace and he looked back to his tea once more, noticing that the steam had cooled and it would probably be no good now.

_"The perfect person for him," _he thought, turning the words over in his head, _"I wonder what that's like." _He tried to think if he'd ever met the perfect person for him, and thought that maybe Yumichika fit the bill. But as close as he felt to the vain boy, he didn't feel that certain connection with him. He briefly wondered if Ichimaru could become that for him, but dismissed the idea as a foolish notion.

"If you'll excuse me," the king said, standing once more, "Ichigo should be back soon."

Kira nodded silently and watched as Ichimaru walked out before raising a hand to his cheek. His fears were confirmed as his fingers pressed against burning flesh-- how long had he been blushing like that? Was it from something Ichimaru said? Sighing, he took a drink of the lukewarm tea, wrinkling his nose as the temperature, and left to track down a fresh cup.

* * *

Another day drug by until Ichigo arrived back in Kan. Upon hearing the large, castle doors creak open, Kira rushed to see who had entered their home. Sure enough, a tired Ichigo awaited him in the foyer. He grinned when he saw the boy and raised a hand in greeting.

"Kira-kun, how've you been?"

"Ichigo-san," Kira smiled, "I was worried about you." He ducked into a quick bow and not two seconds after he straightened up, Ichimaru was at his side.

"So yer back, Ichigo," the silver-haired man said, "that's good."

"We were both worried," Kira assured him, a little put-off by how casually Ichimaru greeted the boy.

Ichigo chuckled a little and eventually bowed to Ichimaru. "Sorry it took me so long."

"That's nothin' t' worry 'bout," Ichimaru said, waving it off. "How did the mission go?"

Before Ichigo could respond, a new voice and a familiar face appeared behind him. Yoruichi narrowed her cat-like eyes at her successor and crossed her arms in a stern manner.

"Gin, what were you thinking sending him off on a mission like that, alone?" she demanded. "Idiot," she added.

Kira glanced to his side to see why his lord hadn't responded, and widened his eyes slightly. Ever since he had come here, Ichimaru had never seen the need to open his eyes for anything. Kira wasn't sure how he moved about with his eyes always closed, but he seemed not to need the sense of sight. Now, though, his eyes were peeled open. Half-lidded as they were, the icy blue of his lord's eyes chilled him to the bone. It wasn't shocking, though, as any other color wouldn't have been quite as fitting. Maybe a crimson red...

"Yoruichi-sama," Ichimaru greeted after careful examination. His normal facade was thrown back up. "It's been even longer since I've seen _you_."

"He'll never change," Yoruichi muttered under her breath, forcing a grin out of Ichigo. Without giving explanation of why she'd returned so suddenly, the purple-haired woman dug straight into business. "Aizen was too much for Ichigo," she informed Ichimaru, "and you should have known as such."

"Is that so?" he replied, putting on a concerned face. He looked to Ichigo. "Sorry 'bout that."

"It's fine," Ichigo assured him, glancing away. "I should have been able to handle him, anyway." As Ichimaru's last line of defense and greatest resource, he should be prepared to take any enemy down. He had held back, though, afraid of what would happen if he died. He didn't want to leave his lord alone like that-- it was selfish, sure, but that was just the kind of guy Ichigo was.

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Yoruichi ordered, "Gin should have known better." She continued with the report Ichigo should have been giving. "We stopped in Shikaku to get some food and rest, and bandage Ichigo's wounds. While we were there, we ran into Zaraki, who said he would aid us in the coming battle."

"Hitsugaya-san said he would join us as well," Ichigo interjected, "and I suspect Kuchiki-san and Ukitake-san to follow suit."

"I've already talked t' Ukitake-san, through the Ichou," Ichimaru told him. "He, Hisagi-kun, an' Urahara-san will all be helpin'."

"Kisuke, huh?" Yoruichi murmured, smiling softly at the name. She quickly focused back onto the matters at hand. "We should expect a message from Mikaku and Kyuukaku within the next few days."

"Well, once I know exactly what I've got t' work with, I'll arrange for a meetin' here in Kan," Ichimaru announced. "'Til then, we should all try and relax a bit."

"Don't be too relaxed about this," Yoruichi warned him, "and don't mess around with this."

"Ya forget who yer talkin' to already?" the Kan lord asked, tilting his head.

"Hopeless," she sighed and walked past Ichimaru and Kira towards the stairs. She waved a hand as she headed up to the second floor. "I'm going to sleep."

"She's... a bit laid-back herself, isn't she?" Kira asked, a little bewildered at the woman's nonchalant actions. For having been a ruler, he expected her to be more... professional.

"But that's how she is," Ichimaru told him, "always has been." He said it with a pleased smile, though, that Kira knew wasn't a bad thing at all.

* * *

The slump of energy had fallen over Kan once more, and most of the castle settled down for sleeping. Ichimaru was among the masses, but no sooner had he pulled his covers back then someone knocked on his door.

"Come on in," he called, sitting on the bed he so longingly wished to collapse into. It's not like today had been a very stressful day or anything, but he felt like it had been a while since he'd gotten a good night's sleep. He also knew very soon he might not be getting any sleep at all, once they set out for Shokkaku.

Ichigo stuck his head in the door, immediately spotting his lord. He walked in and bowed slightly, closing the door quietly behind him. Upon his silence, Ichimaru tilted his head.

"What's wrong?" the king wondered-- it was unlike Ichigo to be so quiet.

"It's nothing," he assured the older one, leaning against the door in a more relaxed manner. He looked Ichimaru up and down before speaking again. "I wonder, though, how you feel about Yoruichi-san returning."

"Whadda ya mean?" Ichimaru asked. "I'm real happy she's back. She was like a mother t' me when I was growin' up."

Ichigo furrowed his brow slightly. "You _had _a mother when you were growing up."

"She wasn't much of a mother t' let such terrible things happen t' her child," Ichimaru told him, a touch of a frown on his lips.

"From how you explained it, she didn't _let _anything happen," Ichigo countered, sighing in irritation. How could Ichimaru be so cold-hearted concerning his own family? Then again, Aizen was technically his family as well, and it was easy to see how someone could be a bastard to him.

"It's all a technicality," Ichimaru told his subordinate, "and she's gone now, either way, so it's nothin' t' argue over."

Ichigo sighed again. _"Hopeless," _he thought, remembering Yoruichi making a similar comment about the man earlier.

"Was that all ya wanted?" Ichimaru wondered. It was unlike Ichigo to come to him for something so frivolous. Then again, it _was _Ichigo, so it wasn't that outstanding.

"Yeah," the soldier muttered, "goodnight, Ichimaru-sama."

"G'night, Ichigo." Ichimaru watched as the younger one shut the door with a soft _click_, and finally crawled into his bed. His head hit the pillows and in an instant, he was out like a light.

* * *

That last part seems kind of pointless now that I read back over it, other than clarifying what a cold bastard Ichimaru can still be. He's been really sweet for his character these past couple chapters, so we have to make sure there's still a deceptive jerk in there somewhere. The next few chapters will be mostly slow-paced until the fighting starts up again. Calm before the storm, much? Probably, but it's necessary, I think.


	19. Kira's Determination

Renji had been traveling for what felt like forever. Literally. The trip to Kan drug on and on, and once he entered the twilit kingdom, his sense of time flew out the proverbial window. And the trip drug on and on.

Eventually, somehow, thankfully, he reached Ichimaru's castle. He was tired, bored from lack of conversation, and wished to return home to his own bed. He _was _thankful that he had some time apart from Byakuya-- even though it wasn't tense, per say, around his king, he still felt like his presence was unwelcome. Of course, that could just be because Byakuya always seemed so busy with other things.

Pushing thoughts of Mikaku aside, Renji knocked loudly on the engraved, ivory doors. "Oi!" he shouted to the castle walls. "Ichimaru-san!"

It wasn't too long before those same doors creaked open, but not to reveal Ichimaru. Being the good servant he was (and within earshot of Renji's hollering), Hanatarou answered the call. He peeked out, unsure of who this other guy was, and spoke in a soft, shaky voice.

"Um... can I help you?" Kan didn't get too many guests, so it wasn't often that he had to take care of such a task. Group that together with his natural nervousness around strangers (not to mention most people), and Hanatarou was probably the worst person to greet Renji.

The redhead studied the servant for a moment before waving his hands in a drastic manner. "Where's your lord?" he demanded. "I need to talk to him!" After days of exhaustion, Renji wasn't prepared to go through a twenty questions ordeal with some kid.

"I-Ichimaru-sama is in his study," the younger one stammered, "but I'll let him know you're here." He paused for a moment, looking Renji up and down. "Um... who are you, again?"

"Who am I?" Renji repeated, crossing his arms, "I'm Abarai Renji, Byakuya-sama's second-in-command." After he had initially used Byakuya's given name to address him, and with no resistance, Renji became very fond of calling him as such. It made him feel much closer to the lord, and loved the awed response it drew from anyone who knew Kuchiki well. After all, _no one _called Byakuya by his given name and lived to tell about it. Well, Ukitake, but that was another story.

"From Mikaku, then," Hanatarou murmured to himself. He had heard whispers of what was to come, and knew that a messenger should be arriving from both Mikaku and Kyuukaku shortly. Nodding, he opened the door wider and bowed. "Please, come in, I'll let Ichimaru-sama know you're here right away."

"That's better," Renji commented, following Hanatarou deeper into the castle. He wasn't used to anyone questioning him (aside from Rukia, of course), but this kid didn't look like he knew much, so he let it slide. He wondered if all of Ichimaru's servants were this dim-witted.

"Ichimaru-sama," Hanatarou called, knocking on the lord's study door, "you have a guest, from Mikaku. Abarai Renji-san."

"Abarai-san is here already?" Ichimaru asked, not bothering to move to open the door. He was comfortably seated behind his desk and had no intention of getting up just to greet another lord's subordinate. Of course, that might have been the proper thing to do, seeing as how Renji was a guest, but he also knew Renji. The redhead wasn't the most proper or polite man out there, and he only acted the part in Byakuya's presence. "Send him in."

A moment later, Renji entered the room. Instead of bowing, like protocol demanded of someone lower-ranking, he waved a greeting to Ichimaru. "Ichimaru-san, I'm here on Byakuya-sama's orders to-"

"'Byakuya' is it now?" Ichimaru asked, cutting him off. He grinned a little wider. "Everyone's gettin' so close now an' days."

Renji flushed a little and hesitated, waving it off with his raised hand. "It's not like that," he insisted, recalling that Hisagi had insisted upon the same thing about bringing Urahara along. He also remembered what he had thought about the two at the time (and still did). Sighing, he dropped his hand and continued, "Byakuya-sama says he'll join you in the fight." Ichinose had quickly made it to Mikaku and informed the lord of what was going on. That information had then been relayed to Renji with the order to immediately depart for Kan.

"Good t' hear," Ichimaru said. "Tell Kuchiki-san that we've got four days 'til things go down, and t' head straight for Shokkaku. We'll meet 'im there."

"With all this running around I'm doing, you'd think I'm a messenger boy," Renji grumbled, turning to leave once more. He had to be quick, or else they wouldn't have enough time to prepare.

"If ya see Hanatarou-kun or Izuru out in the hall, tell 'em t' fix ya somethin' t' eat for your trip back," Ichimaru told him just before he left.

"Uh.. sure, thanks," Renji said, leaving the lord to himself. He glanced around, searching for any signs of anyone that could fix him something to eat-- he was starving! "Izuru," he mumbled to himself, "who's that?"

"I'm Izuru," said boy spoke up, coming up the carpeted staircase, "Kira Izuru."

"Abarai Renji," the redhead introduced himself, "Ichimaru-san said you could fix me something to eat before I left. It's a long trip back to Mikaku."

"Abarai-san, you've come all the way from Mikaku?" Kira asked, bowing as he had been taught to do. He straightened up with a smile and nodded. "Of course, I'll make you something quickly."

"Great," Renji said, grinning as he followed the blonde towards food. So maybe not _all _of Ichimaru's subordinates were that dim-witted.

* * *

"Ukitake-san," Ichimaru greeted, grinning towards the Ichou's screen. The white-haired lord returned the smile, albeit with a gentler, kinder one of his own.

"Ichimaru-san, how are you?" he asked, his voice as calm and low as ever.

"I should be askin' you that," Ichimaru told him. Ukitake, always sickly and weak-looking, was generally the center of everyone's concern no matter where he went.

"I'm doing well," the Choukaku lord assured, "I've been fine since I returned home." He donned a concerned look. "Though, the impending doom of Gensaiban is making me a it uneasy."

"Nothin' t' worry 'bout," the silver-haired lord told him. "There's no way Aizen's got enough force t' stand up against all o' us." Ukitake seemed a little more relaxed and so he continued. "I want ya t' meet Ichigo, myself, Hitsugaya-kun, an' Zaraki-san at the point where Shikaku and Kyuukaku meet." He paused for a moment, then added, "I already sent a note out t' Kuchiki-san, tellin' him t' head straight for Shokkaku. Even though he ain't takin' the detour, it'll still take 'im a while t' get there." Ichimaru had figured that they would all meet up roughly at the same time, and so everything would go smoothly.

"Then we will meet again shortly," Ukitake said. "Have a safe trip."

"Take care o' yourself," Ichimaru told him, "we don't need ya gettin' sick at a time like this." He smiled again. "Ain't no tellin' how soon I'll be there, since I've no way t' tell time here, but wait for me, will ya?"

"Of course," Ukitake promised, "we couldn't leave you out. Farewell, Ichimaru-san."

"G'bye." The screen went blank with the push of a key and Ichimaru set to work typing in something else. Soon enough, the jumbo TV jumped to life again, this time to show a younger, more intense-looking white-haired lord.

"Ichimaru," Hitsugaya greeted shortly, "is everything ready?"

"Always straight t' business," Ichimaru commented. "At such a young age, shouldn't ya stop t' be smellin' the flowers first, Hitsugaya-san?"

"This isn't the time to relax," the shorter lord told him, annoyed with the nonchalant conversation. "We can do all of that once this is all over." Of course, that was granted they were all still around.

"Yeah, yeah." Ichimaru waved his tense attitude off, but nonetheless, got to business. "We're all set t' meet up at Kyuukaku an' Shikaku's boundary as soon as possible."

"Who is 'all' of us?" Hitsugaya asked, racking his brain to think of how many people would be involved.

"Myself, Ichigo, Zaraki-san, Ukitake-san, an' yourself, o' course." He didn't know whether Zaraki was bringing anyone along, or not, but he was sure Ukitake would have his two attack dogs with him. Hisagi and Urahara rarely left their lord's side, which was admirable, but also a little creepy. Didn't they have lives?

"Are you sure you want to bring Ichigo along?" Hitsugaya asked. "It'll be dangerous, and Kan will be very unprotected if both of you are gone." He was also concerned that, with the boy's wounds, Ichigo might not be ready to be shoved into battle again so soon.

"It'll be fine," the fox-faced lord assured him, "and I doubt I could stop him, even if I wanted to. Besides, Aizen's only after me, not my soldiers."

"That's true," Hitsugaya muttered, contemplating the situation for a moment. Finally, he nodded. "Then I'll leave shortly and be at the rendezvous point as soon as I can. It'll probably take me about half a day."

"You'll be one o' the first ones there, then," Ichimaru told him, "so take yer time an' make sure yer prepared."

Hitsugaya was only slightly unconvinced by the concern, but accepted it, nonetheless. The screen went blank once more and Ichimaru shut the machine down, leaving the room promptly.

* * *

Ukitake's own Ichou shut down, but the man remained by the enigma. His hand slowly slipped off of it and his chest began heaving, his breathing becoming shallow and heavy. He barely heard the knock at the door and was incapable of calling out to whoever was on the other side. He didn't want his subordinates to see him in this condition, but he had long gotten over the humility of needing near-constant assistance. He wanted to maintain a strong image, but instead was considered frail and in need of care. It didn't matter much, though, he and those close to him knew that he could protect the ones he needed to.

"I'm coming in," Hisagi called through the door and pushed it open. Upon seeing his lord kneeling on the floor, the fingertips of one hand still grazing the Ichou's watery surface, Hisagi rushed over to him and lightly snatched his hand away from it. His frown only deepened when Ukitake's sole response was to lean into the much-needed support. _"He's never been able to use that thing long ever since he became sick," _he thought, wrapping an arm around Ukitake's shoulders. He didn't know much about the Ichou, but he knew it was a dangerous thing that his lord shouldn't be using. However, any attempts to remove it, or even requests that he let someone else communicate for him, were refused. Ukitake insisted that his line to Ichimaru and Hitsugaya stay open, in case anyone needed him. Furthermore, he didn't want anyone else to end up in the situation he was in, and said that everyone else needed to stay strong if they wanted to be able to take care of him. That always did the trick, and so Ukitake kept the pain to himself.

"Urahara!" It wasn't long after Hisagi called his comrade that the older man appeared in the doorway. His shadowed eyes widened slightly at the scene and he joined Hisagi in helping Ukitake to his feet. "Are you alright, Ukitake-sama?" he murmured.

"I'm fine," Ukitake assured them with a soft smile, "it's nothing to worry about." That wasn't completely true, but they both ignored it, knowing that their lord was as stubborn as he was kind. "I need to leave immediately to meet up with the others."

"We're coming with you," Hisagi insisted. His strong-willed eyes told Ukitake that it wasn't an option. Ordering around his lord wasn't an activity he took part in often, but sometimes his concern for the man overrode any common sense. Urahara only nodded in stern agreement.

"It's too dangerous," Ukitake immediately told him. He wouldn't risk the two most important people to him over a silly thing like the end of the world.

"You told Kuchiki-san that we were the best guards in all of Kataku," the sandy-haired man reminded him. "You shouldn't have said something like that if you didn't mean it."

"I did mean it," the lord assured him, sighing slightly. He was still weak and couldn't think of a decent reason to keep the two back, in the state he was in. He bowed his head in consent, causing his subordinates to give a small smile of victory.

"I'll take Ukitake-sama to rest for a while, and prepare a carriage," Hisagi said, shifting Ukitake's weight towards him more.

Urahara nodded and watched as the two slowly made their way out. His smile faded as soon as they were out of sight, and he glanced over his shoulder towards the Ichou. _"I hate to think something so awful, but I'm not sure Ukitake-sama will make it through this fight." _Their king had increasingly become more frail and it seemed it would take a miracle to cure him. The added stress of recent events, not to mention the physical strain the coming days would put on him, did nothing for his deteriorating health.

Hidden eyes closed in a silent vow. _"I'll make sure to protect him, with my life, if need be." _He was a soldier, and loyal above all to his king. Ukitake was a kind man, and Urahara admired him more than anyone. He swore to protect that kindness against anyone that might want to ruin it. With that promise in mind, he left the Ichou's room, shutting the door firmly behind him.

* * *

"Ya 'bout ready?" Ichimaru asked, looking to his subordinate. Ichigo nodded a solemn response, ready for whatever was to come. The pair were heading to set out when their path was intercepted, Kira standing in their way with an unsure yet confident look in his eye.

_"I was afraid something like this would happen," _Ichigo thought, studying the one in front of him. He already knew what was coming.

Ichimaru, on the other hand, greeted Kira with a smile. "What's the matter?"

"I...I want to go with you," Kira stated after hesitating for a moment. His voice shook, but the determined glint in his eye stayed steady.

"It's too dangerous," Ichigo said, immediately. He stepped toward Kira and frowned at the dejected look on the blonde's face.

"He's right," Ichimaru stated, backing Ichigo up, "you'll only get in the way."

Kira shook his head. "No," he whispered, "after Zaraki-san left, I... I swore to myself; swore not to be a hindrance or to be useless." He looked first to Ichigo, then to Ichimaru, a sad but stern look on his face. "I won't stay back and watch as everyone else fights again."

Much to Ichigo's dread, Ichimaru broke into a grin from his solemn expression. "Ya two are quite alike, ain't ya?" he asked his subordinate.

"This is no time to joke around," Ichigo told him, sighing. Ichimaru was as hopeless as ever. Did he not realize that Kira would be killed if he went along with them?

"It's okay," Kira said, speaking up before Ichimaru could get a word in, "if something happens to me." He smiled at the hesitant look on Ichigo's face. "After my parents were murdered, I didn't think I'd have much of a life, but you, Ichigo-san, Yumichika-san, even Zaraki-san have all taught me a lot of important things. If I'm going to die, I don't want it to be with anyone else but those people. Peace in Kataku would be great, but... if it's all going to end, I want to be with the people I care about."

"What a touchin' speech," Ichimaru said. "When ya put it that way..."

Kira smiled and Ichigo frowned. The latter turned to his lord, "Ichimaru-sama, you can't possibly-"

"Think 'bout it, Ichigo," the silver-haired one interrupted, "if Kira-kun is this determined, there's nothin' we can do t' stop 'im. He'll end up in Shokkaku one way or another."

Ichigo sighed in defeat and the three looked up as Yoruichi approached. Her facade was calm and her voice low as she spoke. "We should hurry and depart soon. Since we're the furthest from the meeting point, we need to leave as soon as possible."

"You're coming as well?" the Kan soldier asked.

She grinned at him and winked. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

* * *

Cheesy line, Yoruichi. Real cheesy. YeahyeahIknowI'mtheonethatwroteitstfu. I think, at this point, Ichimaru isn't completely concerned about what happens to Kira. He might care about him a little, but so far, Kira is pretty expendable. That's why he didn't put up much argument to him coming along. Ichigo can't really go against Ichimaru's decision, so... Kira gets to come. =D So, it's a big party at the border. Anyone who's anyone is going to be there. Join us, will you?


	20. The Road to Shokkaku

Teal green eyes watched as Kataku's sun rose slowly over the horizon. Hitsugaya leaned against a weather-beaten, wooden post that held directional signs, leading lost travelers to their destination. Each sign pointed in a compass direction, respective of the four dirt roads that led from the meeting place. Two branched off into Shikaku, leading to the northernmost kingdom itself while the other headed off to the west and Mikaku. The remaining two roads descended into Kyuukaku, one leading towards the war-ravaged country while the other trailed towards the poor but beautiful Choukaku in the east.

All around him, a thick layer of early morning fog splattered the dense air. Even once the sun rose high into the sky, the Kyuukaku-Shikaku border remained misty and difficult to see-- a direct result from the clashing temperatures of the two kingdoms.

_"In Kataku, the lands themselves hold the temperatures, so it's not unusual for the fiery Kyuukaku and the chilled Shikaku's borders to be dense with fog," _Hitsugaya thought, trying to see through the mist, _"but is it always this bad?"_

Wild winds blew from the eastern path, sweeping the fog into an ethereal dance before the young lord's eyes. He glanced down the road to Choukaku. The next to arrive, he was sure, would be Ukitake.

* * *

Sure enough, Hitsugaya received company half a day later. The sun was starting to set and though the fog had thinned, it still settled over the land lightly. The rattling of carriage wheels could be heard from quite a distance away, as there were no birds singing or crickets chirping in a desolate place such as those crossroads.

Hisagi was chosen to drive the carriage this time, and so Urahara and his lord were stuck in the back to relax. The sandy-haired passenger smiled to no one in particular as he broke the silence. "I hope Hisagi-kun is a better driver than you, Ukitake-sama."

Hisagi sent a glare over his shoulder, but didn't take his eyes from the road for very long. "The road's conditions are poor enough, Ukitake-sama can't be blamed for it." Then again, wasn't it Ukitake's fault that the roads in his own country were poor?

"Things will be nicer once we cross the border," Ukitake assured them, hoping to settle the argument.

"Even the roads in Mikaku are paved with dirt," Urahara pointed out, earning himself a grateful smile from the one seated next to him.

"I don't mind ruling a poor country," their king said, "as long as it's a content and peaceful one."

"We're almost there," Hisagi said suddenly, his grey-blue eyes scanning over the passing surroundings. It had melted from the beautiful scenery of Choukaku to the dried and burnt tundra that was Kyuukaku. The trees thinned and the grass turned yellow, signaling that they were indeed no longer in their homeland.

"Listen," Ukitake spoke up, drawing his subordinates' attentions, "I want you both to return home after I leave for Shokkaku." It was one, last, desperate attempt to keep the two, that were like family to him, out of harm's way. Of course, it was also a futile one.

"Not a chance," Urahara and Hisagi refused in unison. Knowing that it was hopeless, Ukitake put up no more resistance. He smiled a little at the relationship he shared with his subordinates-- they were so defiant, but only when it concerned his protection. A good soldier was supposed to follow orders, no matter what, but Ukitake was sure that Hisagi and Urahara were even better soldiers because they didn't. The best guards in Kataku? No doubt.

"Hitsugaya-san is up ahead," Hisagi informed the two in the carriage, slowing the horse's speed down to a trot as they reached the meeting place.

"Hitsugaya-kun," Ukitake greeted, smiling as he exited the carriage, "how are you?"

"Ukitake-san." Hitsugaya nodded, then looked to the others. "Hisagi-kun, Urahara-san, you two came as well?"

"Of course," the sandy-haired soldier told him, "we'd never desert Ukitake-sama."

"You didn't bring Matsumoto-san along?" Hisagi asked, a tiny smirk playing at the edge of his lips.

"I used this excuse to get _away _from Matsumoto," Hitsugaya mumbled. As much as he loved his subordinate and wouldn't want to go without her for long, she got on his nerves like no one else.

"That's not very kind," Urahara chided. "It's a soldier's duty to always be by their master's side."

"Anyway," the white-haired lord said with an emphasis on changing the subject, "Zaraki should be the next one to arrive, though it'll still be a while before he gets here."

Ukitake nodded. "It will be difficult to keep him still for so long while we wait for Ichimaru-san to arrive."

"We'd be just as well off without him," Hisagi muttered, crossing his arms.

"Ooh, someone's testy," Urahara teased his comrade, earning himself a glare.

"If Zaraki wasn't with us, he'd be against us," Hitsugaya reminded them all. "We're fortunate things turned out the way they did."

"Hitsugaya-kun is right," Ukitake agreed, "we shouldn't be picky about our allies."

"If we're not picky, then how will we know who we can trust?" Hisagi asked. Ukitake didn't want to admit he had a point-- Zaraki was far from reliable, since he had turned on Aizen in an instant. Who was to say he wouldn't think everyone else was betraying him as well?

"We should get some sleep," Hitsugaya interrupted, "before Zaraki comes."

"Very true. We'll need all the energy we can get trying to entertain him," Urahara agreed.

"It'll still be about another half a day before Zaraki shows up," Hitsugaya guessed, looking up at the sky, "and another half a day after that before Ichimaru arrives."

"Have a nice sleep," Urahara called, waving a hand at Hitsugaya's retreating form.

"Goodnight," Ukitake said, then turned to Hisagi and Urahara. "Why don't-"

"You'll be sleeping in the carriage," Hisagi insisted.

"That's right," Urahara immediately agreed, opening the door for his lord.

Ukitake sighed-- how persistent _were _these two? "Shouldn't it be I giving the orders?"

"Not when they don't have your best interest in mind," Hisagi stated. The look in his eyes begged Ukitake not to argue, because if his lord _really _insisted upon something, he couldn't exactly argue the point.

"Besides, someone needs to stay up and keep an eye out for anything suspicious," the older soldier said. "Hisagi-kun and I can take turns keeping watch."

Unable to find a solid argument, Ukitake retired back into his carriage. "Goodnight, and wake me if anything happens."

"Of course, goodnight, Ukitake-sama," Urahara said, shutting the door.

"Goodnight," Hisagi replied, as well, thankful that the day was finally over with.

* * *

Hours later, Hisagi and Urahara ended up sitting on the dirt road, leaning against their carriage. The deafening silence around them begged them to say something, but each was too lost in their own thoughts.

Finally, it was Kisuke who broke the silence. When he did, his voice was quiet and serious-- a tone that generally sent chills up the listener's spine. "You know, not everyone will make it out of this battle alive."

Hisagi was stirred from his own thoughts, and a frown took place on his lips. "Yeah," he solemnly agreed, "but even so, I'm prepared to give my life if it means protecting Ukitake-sama."

Next to him, the older one nodded. "Of course, it's natural to feel that way about someone like Ukitake-sama." He was too kind not to protect, and too gracious and generous to let be hurt.

Hisagi kept his eyes trained on the ground in front of him as he spoke again, this time a little softer. "I'd also give my life to protect you." Urahara Kisuke was his comrade and perhaps best friend. Hisagi was a devoted person, and he was fine with his life being to protect others. Ukitake and Urahara, the two closest to him, were the first on his list of people he wished to protect.

Urahara slid a glance the the punk-featured boy, but said nothing as a small, understanding smile crept across his features. He wrapped his arm around the younger one in half a hug and pulled him closer, ignoring the startled reaction he received.

"You should get some rest, I'll keep watch first."

The blush that had risen to Hisagi's face slowly died away as he became more comfortable with the closeness, and even a little fond of it. Nodding an awkward agreement, he rested his head on Urahara's shoulder and closed his eyes. Within a few minutes, the wear and tear of the previous day got to him and he drifted off.

Inside the carriage, Ukitake remained awake. He stared out the small window by his head at the night sky, a soft smile playing across his face as the clouds darkened the moon's bright light. Sensing that everything was calm outside, he managed to fall into a deep sleep.

* * *

Hitsugaya was woken the next morning by angry and loud shouts. He quickly prepared himself for whatever he might find outside of his carriage, and stepped out into the morning light. It was already well into the day as the sun was nearing its peak in the sky and the morning fog had thinned considerably. At least, enough for Hitsugaya to see the scene in front of him.

Zaraki had arrived and brought Yumichika and Ikkaku with him. The latter was currently glaring at Urahara, who was wearing a pleased grin on his face. Yumichika already looked tired of the situation and Zaraki looked embarrassed to know the bald-headed soldier. Ukitake was nowhere to be seen and Hisagi was looking a bit annoyed and amused at whatever his comrade had just done or said. Deciding he didn't want to know what had happened, Hitsugaya walked over to the group.

"So Hitsugaya's here, too," Zaraki murmured.

"Hello, Zaraki," the shortest of the group replied, a little peeved at being addressed so informally. Then again, he had just done the same, so he couldn't complain _too _much. He gave a short nod to Yumichika and Ikkaku, who both returned the abrupt greeting.

"Ichimaru-san should be here shortly," Ukitake noted, going by Hitsugaya's previous predictions (they'd been right so far). He cast a glance at Zaraki. "I hope you can be patient for half a day."

The war-ravaged man grinned. "As long as I get to fight someone strong, I've got no problem waiting for a little bit."

"Ahh, Zaraki-sama, is that a new trick you've learned?" Yumichika asked, eyes wide in appreciation.

Next to him, Ikkaku snickered and muttered under his breath, "But we forgot the dog treats."

"Would you like me t' use you as a warm up act?" Zaraki asked in his gruff voice, eyeing the two up. Immediately, they fell silent and waved their previous comments away.

"What's wrong?" Hitsugaya asked, his attention direction away from the Three Stooges and towards Ukitake. The fragile lord's gaze was fixed on the path that led to Shikaku and beyond.

"I'm simply waiting for Ichimaru-san," he replied, gracing Hitsugaya with a soft smile to assure he was fine.

"It's a bit ironic, innit?" Urahara asked. "That Ichimaru-san would only get to see nighttime, even in the Inner Kingdoms."

"That's not what we should be worrying about," Hitsugaya reminded him in a grim tone. He became a bit reserved after his comment, thoughts flooding his head of what would happen when Gensaiban started.

"We're still not sure when Gensaiban will start," Ukitake noted. "Actually, there's much we don't know about it, still."

Urahara looked up to the sky, the afternoon sun lighting his usually-darkened face, hidden beneath his hat. "It'll probably happen when the Anchor Kingdom's sun reaches its halfway point." Halfway between the periods of darkness for Shokkaku and the periods of light for Kan.

"As usual, you're right on point." The new voice drew everyone's attention towards the northern path. Yoruichi stood in their line of vision, arms crossed and serious look on her face. Her tone of voice, though, remained light as always and she grinned upon catching Urahara's attention.

The two of the group that recognized the woman, Urahara and Ukitake, were shocked to see her standing there in front of them. Kisuke recovered first and returned the smile.

"You must be here because of Gensaiban, Yoruichi-san." Though the honorific was formal, there was a fondness that laced his voice.

"Right again," she commented, walking the short distance between herself and the group.

"Is Ichimaru here as well?" Hitsugaya asked, glancing down the road a little ways to find no Kan lord.

Yoruichi shook her head. "I came a little ahead of time to make sure everyone was here, first. Gin should be here by nightfall, though."

The formality was soon ushered away as Urahara spoke again. "It's been a while, Yoruichi-san, how have you been?"

"I've been researching the coming Gensaiban," she informed him, earning herself the attention of everyone, excluding Yumichika and Ikkaku. "I've collected some vital information on it." Upon hearing this, Hitsugaya, Zaraki, and the Choukaku residents gathered around her, as if children waiting to hear a story.

"It's very likely that the Touta, whoever it may be, will be Aizen or Gin." She frowned slightly, thinking for a moment before continuing. "It's also probable that the Touta will be untouchable for a length of time, so don't try to go near them." The group nodded in unison, waiting for her to continue once more. When she spoke again, it was only to Ukitake. "You should be as far away as possible. In your condition, you'll-"

"I'm sorry," he said, cutting her off with a smile, "but I can't do that." Yoruichi went to argue, but he held up a hand to silence her. "I'm sure it will worsen my condition, since everything in this world seems against my health, but I can't stand back again and watch as everyone else fights. Since I've become Choukaku's lord, I've always asked everyone to fight my battles for me-- Ichimaru-san, Hitsugaya-kun, and even Byakuya. This time, I can't hide behind a sickness when it's a possibility that the outcome of this will be death for all of us." As he spoke, he lost his smile and a grave look took over. No one wanted to admit that they wouldn't be in time, or that they would lose, but it had to be said. Every opportunity needed to be acknowledged, so they could prepare for even the worse. Though, how to prepare for the end of the world, no one knew.

Ukitake's speech took Yoruichi back to when Kira had given his own about something similar. Sighing, she closed her eyes for a moment before smiling and looking at Ukitake once more. "It seems Kataku produces some stubbornly strong people." By nature, the Choukaku lord was a passive man and non-argumentative to the extreme, but she supposed even the most timid and nonviolent amongst them would have to fight at some point. "Alright," she finally agreed, "it's your choice, and I can't stop you, but let me say this: You better not regret it."

Ukitake gave her a grateful smile, glad that (for once) someone wasn't arguing with his decisions. As if on cue, Urahara made his presence known once more. "Besides, Hisagi-kun and I will be with him the entire time, so there's nothing to worry about." Hisagi gave a confirming nod and Yoruichi seemed to relax.

While Yoruichi was revealing all that she'd learned in her absence, Ikkaku and Yumichika waited off to the side. The former yawned and stretched out, looking to his vain friend. "Maybe we should have stayed home."

"You'll get to fight someone soon enough," Yumichika chided, "just be more patient."

Zaraki joined the pair and nodded in Ikkaku's direction. "He's got a point, this is boring." However, a grin spread over his face. "At least you two will get to see something interesting while we're in Shokkaku."

Ikkaku perked up at this. "What's that, Zaraki-sama?"

"Ichigo fighting." That was it? Come _on_, Zaraki, how interesting could it be to watch someone else fight?

"Is he really that great?" Ikkaku wondered, a little let down.

"Yeah," their lord said, "he even beat me once in battle. Though, it was nearly a draw." As expected, both of the soldiers were shocked by this, though it was hardly a surprise. It took a lot to impress Zaraki.

"Kira-kun seemed very close to Ichigo," Yumichika noted, a hint of jealousy flashing in his eyes.

"You and Ichigo are a lot alike," Ikkaku told his comrade, "a pretty face, but a horrible temper." Whoops.

Yumichika immediately smiled and grabbed Ikkaku's arm, his eyes sparkling. "You really think I'm pretty?" he asked, clinging to the man.

Ikkaku tried to shake the narcissist off, but to no avail. "Hey, get off, I didn't mean it like that!"

"Have some dignity," Zaraki told Yumichika, his nose wrinkled in disgust. "Besides, he was comparing you to Ichigo, don't be so happy about it."

Ikkaku's eyes widened as he looked to his lord. "Why would you point out something like that?!" he demanded, and suddenly the grip on his arm tightened.

Yumichika's happy smile deformed into a scowl as he narrowed his eyes. Ikkaku let out a yelp and jumped away from his fellow soldier, dashing away as quickly as possible with Yumichika hot on his heels. Zaraki just sighed to himself, embarrassed to be seen with such fools.

* * *

As the sun began to set, Hitsugaya stood from his seat on the top of his carriage. Everyone's attention turned towards him before their line of sight followed his own: The path towards Shikaku. He crossed his arms and let out a soft sigh.

"Ichimaru's here."

* * *

Dun dun dunnnnn. Showdown tiem. Almost, anyway. What will happen? Who will be chosen? Why do I ask these questions!? Well, because I know and you don't. That doesn't happen often, so let me have my victory. I think I probably need to stop talking, these comments are getting so stupid. At least I haven't resorted to dragging in characters from the show yet to entertain myself with.


	21. Enemies Approach!

Zaraki was initially uninterested in Ichimaru's arrival, but out of the corner of his eye, he noticed two other figures near the Kan lord. Upon closer inspection, he determined that the two were indeed Ichigo and Kira. Grinning, he called out to the approaching men.

"Ichigo! Kira!" He waved a hand in their direction; Ichigo raised a hand in silent greeting while Kira waved back and smiled at his old lord. "Ichimaru," he said a bit less loudly as the three approached him and the others.

"My, my," Ichimaru muttered, "what a group we have. Hitsugaya-kun, Ukitake-san, Hisagi-kun, Urahara-san, Zaraki-san, Ikkaku-san, and Yumichika-san. I guess all we're missin' is Kuchiki-san an' Abarai-san now."

_"So Byakuya's bringing Abarai-kun along,"_ Ukitake thought to himself, smiling slightly. It appeared that the two of them worked things out well enough, which he was grateful for; he didn't need an angry Renji on his hands.

"How are ya feelin', Ukitake-san?" Ichimaru asked, stirring the lord from his musings.

"I'm feeling well," the one under question replied, "thank you for asking. I trust you three are well, also?"

"As well as can be," Ichigo answered. With everything that was to come, only so much could be said about everyone's state of well-being.

Kira parted from his lord to approach Yumichika and Zaraki, a smile lighting his features. He bowed to them, offering a greeting. "Yumichika-san, Zaraki-san. I hope you two have been well."

"Why are ya bein' so formal?" Zaraki wondered, clapping the much smaller boy on the back. "What's that Ichimaru been doin' to ya?"

"Ah, nothing," Kira assured him, trying his best to keep his balance from the rough greeting. He stood up straight once more and rubbed his head. "After all, I learned my manners in Kyuukaku."

"Don't let that get out," Yumichika warned, jokingly, "Zaraki-sama will have a fit if anyone learns that someone from Kyuukaku has manners." Accordingly, he pulled Kira to him in a hug, smiling a bit himself. "How have you been?"

The blonde quickly adjusted and hugged his friend back. "It's been nice with Ichimaru-sama and Ichigo-san, but I still miss you two, as well."

"Cut the mushy crap," Zaraki interrupted. When neither responded, he sighed and waved them off with his hand before walking away.

"I guess he still hasn't changed much," Kira snickered.

Yumichika shook his head wearily as they broke from their embrace. "Did you expect him to?" Zaraki wasn't exactly the sort of person to change easily, and if anyone had to be honest about it, they wouldn't know what to do if he ever did change.

Meanwhile, Ikkaku sought out Ichigo. Hearing his name shouted, the orange-haired soldier scanned the desolate land until he found Ikkaku sizing him up.

"What is it?" Ichigo asked, shifting a little under the soldier's intense gaze.

"So you're the one Zaraki-sama was talkin' about, huh?" he asked, ignoring the question.

Ichigo sweatdropped-- Zaraki had been talking about him? "What has he been saying about me?" he wondered.

Ikkaku was about to answer when Ichimaru's voice rang out across the group that had gathered and drew his attention.

"We'd better be goin' as soon as possible," he suggested. Everyone nodded, signaling that they were ready, and the group headed down through Kyuukaku.

* * *

All through the night and well into the morning (which Kira was elated to see once again), they traveled through the war-hungry land of Kyuukaku. Fortunately, any soldiers they passed looking for battle were quickly dismissed by Zaraki. Soon, they found themselves at the border of Kyuukaku and Shokkaku.

Kira stared at the other side as if it were another world (which, technically, it was). It seemed as if evil were lurking in every shadow that didn't normally exist in the bright kingdom and ill-intentions were pouring out everywhere. Though the wall between Shokkaku and Kyuukaku was invisible, slight disturbances in the air signaled that their next step would meet resistance.

"C'mon, Izuru," Ichimaru, who was standing next to the servant, murmured, "we won't be gettin' anything done just standin' here."

Kira nodded to his lord and followed him through the rift. It was only his third time passing through one (he had to go through the Shikaku-Kan dimensional border as well), but this one seemed a lot stronger. He leaned his whole body into the barrier and slowly his hands broke through. It was like an electric field, zapping at his body, and reminded him of pushing his way through a wall of jello (not that he had ever tried such a thing).

Despite the struggle, it took only a few seconds before he and the rest were on the other side in a land that was usually so unbearably bright and cheery, now turned dark and haunting. The time of darkness for Shokkaku and light for Kan happened for a full day once a week, though it seemed so much longer for the residents of those places. Gensaiban, which the group still knew so little about, was predicted to occur in the middle of this brief period. It was such a short period of time, yet every second weighed down on the soldiers' shoulders.

The temperature, normally warmer (albeit less humid) than Kyuukaku's, was cooling from the sun's temporary disappearance. Still, it was a drastic change for the northern residents and even Ukitake seemed to be faltering under the pressure of the atmosphere.

"Let's go," Ichimaru urged the group, taking the lead, "an' be on yer guard, there's sure t' be baddies lurkin' in the dark."

* * *

Not an hour into their intrusion into Shokkaku and the group met with their first opponent. Long, slick black hair, a single, beady eye and a huge grin on his face. Nnorita slung his large scythe over his shoulder as he looked over the group. "Look at this," he muttered, "intruders in Shokkaku?" His single eye scanned each and every tense face. "So, who wants to be the first to go?" he called out in a louder voice, sighing when no one answered. It seemed he would have to pick his own opponent. Grinning, he locked his gaze on Ukitake. "How about you? You look like you're about to fall over just how you are. The weak should be picked off first, don't you think?" Without waiting for a response, Nnorita lunged forward, swinging his weapon down on the silver-headed lord.

At the last moment, Hisagi jumped in front of his king and brought his own blade up to stop the assault. He narrowed his eyes at the black-haired man and curled his lip in distaste. "You'd be no match for Ukitake-sama. _I'll _be your opponent."

"Good luck," Ichimaru bid Hisagi, waving a hand. "I'd love t' stay an' watch, but we should be headin' on." With that, he led the group past the two, much to Nnorita's annoyance. However, Urahara and Ukitake separated themselves, sticking closer to their comrade.

The sandy-haired man immediately looked to his lord and gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Ukitake-sama, I'll stay behind and make sure Hisagi-kun doesn't do anything too rash."

"You idiot," Hisagi growled, "go with Ukitake-sama and protect him."

"It's alright, Shuuhei," Ukitake said in such a calm voice that the man immediately lost his scowl. "I'll be fine with everyone else." He smiled as the younger finally conceded. "Be careful, both of you."

"Of course we will," Urahara assured him and waved as Ukitake departed to catch up with the others.

"Don't take me so lightly that you can have a casual conversation while I'm around!" Nnorita called out to Hisagi, frowning.

"Sorry," Hisagi shrugged, "but Ukitake-sama is much more deserving of my attention than you are."

"My, my," Urahara mumbled to himself as his friend charged back into battle. "Hisagi-kun is quite fierce sometimes, isn't he?"

* * *

It wasn't much longer before the group's lead stopped once more. Concerned, Kira looked from the forest they had stopped in front of (which he guessed the castle was on the other side of) to his lord. "What's wrong, Ichimaru-sama?"

"Things like this are always so troublesome," the Kan lord sighed. As if on cue, another enemy stepped from the forest, arms crossed and bespectacled eyes narrowed.

Szayel half-sneered at the lot of them. "What a pathetic mess," he murmured to himself, eyes tracing over each individual, sizing them up. "These people aren't even good enough to make test subjects out of."

"What did you say?" Hitsugaya growled, stepping forward. His eyes narrowed at the pink-haired Shokkaku soldier in front of him and his hand reached for the hilt of his sword.

"This one can't even hear," Szayel commented, as if talking to a fellow researcher about their experiments. He made a tsking noise and shook his head. "My, my, what in the world was Aizen-sama so afraid of?"

"Ya can take care of this, right, Hitsugaya-kun?" Ichimaru asked, looking to his shorter comrade.

"Leave it to me, get to Aizen," the Shikaku lord told him, fixing his gaze on the enemy.

"You won't pass by so easily," Szayel told them as Ichimaru lead the group on. However, no sooner had he drawn his weapon, what appeared to be a simple umbrella, than Hitsugaya was on him.

Hitsugaya narrowed his eyes as Szayel brought the handle of the umbrella down in time to block, but just barely. Noticing that he now had his opponent's full attention, he took a moment to survey the weapon he was up against better. The first thing he noticed was that the handle was made from metal, not wood and the points at the end of the rim were very suspicious looking. He knew exactly what it was.

_"A needle umbrella," _he thought, his teal eyes scanning up and down it, searching for the weapon's main offense. Lined along the umbrella's spines that separated the sections were thousands of deadly needles. When spun fast enough and tossed into the air, a rain of unavoidable needles would hail down on the enemy. It wasn't able to be dodged, and the likelihood of surviving such an attack was minimal unless one had a shield to hide under. Unfortunately, all Hitsugaya had was his sword.

"You're faster than you look," Szayel commented, "but no amount of speed can save you now. You'll have to win by-" He was cut short by a glare and a swing of metal aimed at his head. He jumped back, again barely in time, eyes widened slightly. He became more serious upon seeing that Hitsugaya wasn't the taunting type and grinned slightly. Perhaps this wouldn't be a _total _waste of time.

* * *

A soft knock on Aizen's door stirred the man from his reading. He voiced a soft 'come in' and was not surprised at all to see Hinamori enter his office with a small bow.

"The group led by Ichimaru-san has arrived," she reported, "and a couple have started fighting with the soldiers you sent out. All in all, the group is fairly large, consisting of Ichimaru-san, Ukitake-san, and Zaraki-san, all of whom have two subordinates with them. In addition, Yoruichi-san and Hitsugaya-san have joined them."

Aizen nodded slowly, absorbing the information. It was about what he expected, but not at all what he had hoped-- he didn't honestly think the group would be _that _large, but figured his soldiers could take care of the weaker ones. Certainly the subordinates would never make it this far, unless Ichimaru had brought along Ichigo (which Aizen was sure he had).

"No matter," he decided. "By the time they reach me, there will be two of them left, at best, and no matter who they are, I can handle them just fine."

Despite his confidence, Hinamori frowned. She cast her gaze to the ground and spoke in a soft voice. "Aizen-sama, please... try and make peace with Ichimaru-san; try to stop this war."

Aizen shook his head lightly, slightly irritated by the girl's persistence in her peaceful motives. "Sometimes, war is a part of life. Just like peace, it must exist to bring balance to our world." He gave her a bright smile. "Soon, though, we'll have everlasting peace. All you need to do is believe in me, and I'll make sure we remain together."

_"Aizen-sama... I have no one to live for but him..." _Hinamori closed her eyes and bowed her consent, leaving the room promptly.

* * *

Battles, battles, and more battles coming up. You can look forward to a couple more Espada, and a bunch of fighting. I hate fight scenes, I can't write them worth crap, but they're necessary in a story like this. I knew what I was getting into when I started it, damn it! Enjoy the fights.


	22. The Shihouin Blade

The silence set by electric glaring was sliced with the clang of blades. Hisagi was the first to attack and drew his dual katanas down on Nnoitra's large scythe. Sparks flew as the two separated for only a moment before the younger one rushed back in, a determined look in his eye. Nnoitra waited calmly for the Choukaku soldier, grinning his amusement.

"Oh my, what a fierce young boy you are," he teased. "Who would have thought a peaceful land like Choukaku would breed someone like you?" He cracked his wrist before reasserting his grip on his weapon. "With that sort of force, I would think you're from Kyuukaku or Kan."

"Save the taunts," Hisagi growled as he came upon him again. "We're fighting, not chatting!"

The two clashed again, and Hisagi noticed a shift in his opponent's attitude. Nnoitra was no longer wasting his time, but determined to take him out. The large blade that chopped a few spikes of hair off the top of his head was proof enough that things were to get serious from here on out.

Settling down into a fighting stance, it didn't take long for Hisagi to find an opening in the nonchalant man's defense. He feigned to the right and ducked straight down under the black-haired man's block, bringing one of his blades up to stab Nnoitra in the stomach. Unexpectedly, the grinning one was quicker than predicted and he brought the shaft of his weapon down to block.

Fortunately, Hisagi had learned to react quickly to unexpected situations, and optimized the use of his second blade to swing around to the left and go straight for the man's face. Nnoitra dodged, but just barely, and a small stain of red on his cheek was Hisagi's prize.

This time, the younger one flashed a confident smirk-- it was always nice to land the first blow in a battle. He quickly lost his amused expression and furrowed his brow, sizing the situation up quickly. He was too close to Nnoitra (not even a foot away) to hesitate for long, and he acted on instinct, thrusting forward with both blades crossed towards the other's chest.

Naturally, Nnoitra brought his weapon up to block the attack, but his eyes widened slightly as he was pushed back from the force of the attack. Becoming slightly more serious, he attempted to meet Hisagi's force, leaning into his counterattack.

Not one to be overcome, and also not one to play a game of tug-of-war (though, in this case, it seemed to be push-of-war), Hisagi crouched down and shot one of his legs out to trip up the unbalanced one. Nnoitra saw the move and jumped above him, twirling his scythe in one hand and grinning down at him again. Hisagi looked up to track his opponent's movements, but frowned when the black-clad soldier nearly disappeared into the night sky. A shift in the clouds gave him just enough light to see Nnoitra's scythe a split second before the blade came down on him.

The younger one jumped out of the way, but a searing pain up his left leg told him he wasn't quick enough. He stumbled on his injured limb and immediately turned towards his enemy, knowing an opening like that would be taken advantage of. He hissed out a curse as Nnoitra pressed his attack, slicing away at Hisagi's defending blades.

"How long do you think you can keep up like this?" Nnoitra asked in that same, taunting voice. "You'll die soon enough."

"Oh?" another, long-forgotten-about voice asked. "Was I forgotten already?"

The assault paused as both soldiers glanced to see Urahara casually leaning against a single tree that seemed to sprout from the ground just for that purpose. He smiled, a bit too friendly, and waved a hand.

"Hisagi-kun, it looks like you're out for the count."

"Don't count me out so easily," the punk-haired boy shot back, standing up. As soon as he did, however, his wounded leg gave out on him. Luckily, Urahara was at his side in an instant to support him.

"How are you gonna fight me with that handicap?" Nnoitra asked. "What a joke."

"Excuse me a moment," Urahara told him, smiling as always and leading Hisagi over to his tree. He sat the younger one down and turned back to his new opponent. "Now, shall we begin?"

"What are you gonna fight me with? That cane?" the black-haired man laughed, taking his own fighting pose. "Don't make a fool of me."

"No worries," Kisuke assured him, "you'll do that well enough on your own."

Urahara's calm and friendly personality was a drastic change to Hisagi's serious and determined one, and it made Nnoitra frown. No matter how he looked at it, this man in front of him just did not take him seriously. He really thought he could beat him with a cane! Even if there was a sword hidden inside (which Nnoitra really hoped there was, or Urahara would definitely regret mocking him like that), there was no way someone who looked that old could win against him with such a small weapon.

Deciding he didn't like Urahara at all, Nnoitra determined he would end the man's life quickly, finish off the wounded brat, and go back home. With his plan in mind, he grinned again and stood up straight, waiting for the intruder to rush him like the previous one had.

However, Urahara stayed his ground and simply tilted his head in Nnoitra's direction. After a few moments, he lost his smile and placed a hand on top of his hat, pushing it a little further down on his head. The shadow that dropped down to the bridge of his nose deepened and his singularly visible eye seemed to glow against the creeping darkness that spread across his face. However, in that glint of an eye was a look that meant business. Nnoitra had injured his comrade, friend, and closest confidant (aside from Ukitake, of course). Naturally, he wouldn't get away with it.

"If you won't come for me," Nnoitra finally said, sighing and moving his weapon into position, "then I suppose I'll have to come to you."

Without giving his enemy time to assess what he'd said, Nnoitra rushed the sandy-haired man, swinging his scythe low with the thought of catching Urahara off balance right off the bat. It had worked with Hisagi, right?

One thing Nnoitra would need to learn quickly was that Urahara was definitely not like his younger comrade in any way. He blocked the deadly attack with his cane, the wood shattering into splinters around them. Sure enough, a thin blade was hidden inside and with Urahara's strength behind it, stopped the scythe's blade immediately.

"Wh-what?" Nnoitra growled, taken back by the sudden action. He hadn't expected Urahara to react that quickly (he looked so old!), or for a simple sword to stop his attack just like that.

This time, it was Kisuke's turn to take advantage of the situation. He brought his sword up and pointed it at a stunned Nnoitra's face. The serious look in his eye told the black-haired soldier that any move would mean immediate death, and that if he wanted any chance of survival, he'd stay put. In the background, Hisagi frowned slightly-- it was unusual for Kisuke to be so serious, and plain unnatural for it to last this long.

"I really don't like fighting," Urahara stated, catching Nnoitra off-guard once more. "But even more, I don't like my friends being hurt. You crossed that line when you came out here to begin with. Then, you targeted Ukitake-sama and called him weak. Finally, you used a dirty trick to injure Hisagi, since you wouldn't have won any other way." He paused, letting his words soak in and hoping realization would dawn on his enemy. "I don't like fighting," he repeated, "so I won't fight you. I'll simply kill you."

Hisagi turned his grey-blue eyes away as his friend made quick work of their enemy. Moments later, he turned those same eyes upwards as Urahara approached him, that smile plastered back on his face. It terrified Hisagi; how could someone who had just so easily slain a man smile so genuinely? And it was genuine, too, because he had seen Urahara saddened, and he didn't fake his smiles when he was upset or distressed. So, he wondered to himself, what kind of man could smile like that after doing something so horrible? Then again, in the time they lived, it wasn't unusual for someone to easily kill another. Also, Urahara was very creepy.

"Ya alright?" the sandy-haired man asked, kneeling down in front of his injured friend. He studied the wound carefully, shaking his head. "It's pretty deep, he got you good."

"I'm fine," Hisagi insisted. He had been struggling against Nnoitra's attacks, they both knew, and even though he may have come out victorious, the ease with which Urahara won his fight spoke great lengths. No matter how strong he thought he had gotten, the gap between his and the elder's abilities were enormous.

"Don't push yourself," Urahara suggested, and plopped down next to the young soldier. As he had done before, he slung an arm around Hisagi's shoulders and tugged him into an awkward embrace.

Hisagi sighed and succumbed to the warmth of the other's body, closing his eyes in a moment of peace. The blood loss had made him a bit dizzy, and while it wasn't enough to kill him, it would make him weak for a while. Weak was something he hated being, and Urahara knew that better than anyone.

"You would have won in the end," Kisuke spoke up, softly. "Even if that man wasn't the strongest at Aizen's disposal, you should be happy with that knowledge. Besides, having come as far as you have in only a couple years, by the time you're my age, you'll be just as strong as I am."

If it had been anyone else (_anyone _else, even Ukitake), Hisagi wouldn't have accepted the words of comfort. He would have seen them as pity; as something that the person said because they were uncomfortable with his disappointment in himself. However, when Urahara spoke them, Hisagi knew the older one wasn't trying to lessen his defeat, but make him realize that a year ago, that defeat would have been death, and it would have been instant.

"You're not that old," Hisagi pointed out, "even if you look it."

"And act it," the older one added.

A single grey-blue eye cracked open for a moment before shutting again. "Even if you look it."

* * *

"You know, children shouldn't be so serious." Szayel had been taunting Hitsugaya for well over ten minutes and the easily-irritated lord was far from enjoying it. However, he was mature enough to rise above such childish things and kept calm.

"No matter how old I am, one thing is for certain," Hitsugaya said, his teal-green eyes locking with Szayel's. "I'll kill you for sure if you don't get out of my way."

"Such big words, should you really be talking that way?" Szayel tapped a finger to his chin. "I wonder what makes you so stubborn. Is it your age?" In truth, he wasn't particularly fond of fighting, and he didn't imagine that Hitsugaya would be incredibly weak if he were a lord. So, he resorted to taunting the younger one, perhaps into a blind fury of which he could take advantage. It didn't appear to be working, though, and he knew he would have to fight him sooner or later; after all, he couldn't just let him pass through.

"Enough talking," Hitsugaya declared and rushed Szayel once again. His blade slashed down toward the soldier, but Szayel was quick on his feet. Pursuing his enemy, the young lord growled in the back of his throat-- what was this guy's problem? "You can't dodge me forever!"

"How right you are," the bespectacled man murmured, a soft grin stretching across his lips. He paused and turned toward Hitsugaya, twirling the umbrella slowly as his opponent skidded to a halt a few feet away from him. "What's wrong?" he asked, eyes widening in anticipation. "Don't want to come any closer?"

Hitsugaya failed to respond, but instead turned his eyes toward the other's weapon. To be effective, Szayel would have to have some time-- only seconds, but time enough-- to execute a move deadly enough to injure or take him down. Unfortunately, the pink-haired man seemed to be faster than him, so keeping him on his feet would only serve to tire them both out. It didn't help that since his country hadn't been involved in many wars recently, Hitsugaya was a bit rusty. He had more important matters to deal with than keeping up with his training, though he hadn't let himself go completely, and the difference in their abilities was glaringly obvious.

"It's been fun, Hitsugaya-kun," Szayel said in that same, nonchalant voice of his, "but I really should return to Aizen-sama soon. I was in the middle of something when he called me to stop you."

Hitsugaya's eyes narrowed just a bit more as he moved into a position to attack again. "Aizen will be stopped."

Szayel sighed and tapped his forehead, as if thinking how to reason with a child. Shaking his head, he shrugged. "There's no helping it," he decided. "You were disappointing, though, for a lord. I thought you would have put up more of a fight."

"I'm not done yet!" the lighter-haired one shouted, quickly covering the distance between himself and the Shokkaku soldier.

"I beg to differ," Szayel murmured. Showing a surprising amount of leg power, he easily jumped above the low swing of Hitsugaya's sword and propelled himself into the nearby trees. He watched as Hitsugaya glared toward the general direction he had disappeared. His shadow mingled with the trees', concealing his position as he jumped through the branches. Getting Hitsugaya used to the pattern of rustling leaves trailing to the left, Szayel suddenly halted his actions and emerged once more, high in the sky.

"Shit!" Hitsugaya hissed under his breath as he narrowed his eyes upward. Szayel's form appeared in his line of sight, silhouetted against the full moon . He knew that the open space he was in was a deathtrap and he quickly retreated to the cover of the forest.

As soon as Hitsugaya's foot hit the first tree branch, he felt searing pain shoot up his leg. Cursing again, he stumbled and jumped to the next tree. Studying his foot quickly, his breath caught in his throat as dread filled him-- protruding from his soft-soled shoe were three needles, broken off by the impact of his leap.

"Did you think you were safe?!" Szayel called from the open field, the grin evident in his voice. "Don't bother pulling them out, the poison has already sunk in." He rested the umbrella lightly against his shoulder as Hitsugaya dropped from his hiding spot, kneeled on the ground and panting lightly. Szayel's grin grew just a little wider as he motioned towards his enemy with a gloved hand. "Your body is quite small, so this poison will take effect rather quickly." An eyebrow quirked as Hitsugaya made no move to rush him again. "Oh? Have you already lost the feeling in your leg?"

Hitsugaya's teeth grit against each other, driving a headache into his temples. His knuckles turned white with the force of his grip against his blade's hilt as Szayel slowly approached him. Indeed, his right leg had given out on him and there was little he could do with the numbness spreading slowly but surely up his side. His other hand pressed against the ground as his breathing became heavier and his vision started to blur. He shook his head quickly and glared at the approaching form.

Completely in control of the situation, Szayel paused less than a foot away from the fallen lord. The slow spinning of his deadly umbrella halted and he opened it fully. His view of Hitsugaya was blocked for a few moments, and Hitsugaya's of his, before he tilted it to grin around one, pointed needle protruding from the rim. Silently, he plucked the poison-laced shred of metal from the umbrella, discarding the rest of the weapon. He bent over, coming eye level with the younger one, whose color had drained from his tanned face and reeked of approaching death.

"I could leave you to die here," Szayel said, twirling the needle lightly between his fingers, "but I don't like to take chances. We scientists are very precise creatures, you know."

As expected, Hitsugaya gave no answer, his breath struggling to reach his lungs before rushing out too quickly. His fingers fisted in the cool grass, slick against his sweat-covered palm, and as Szayel shoved the fatal needle deep into his jugular, he could only hope that the others had had better luck.

Standing up and dusting himself off, Szayel watched as Hitsugaya's eyes slowly closed and the lifeless body slumped forward to the ground. "What a shame," he sighed, "but at least it didn't take too long." A gloved finger tapped against his chin lightly as he glanced behind him. "I wonder if everyone else was as successful."

* * *

"I wonder how many more will come," Kira murmured, half to himself. He was concerned for their companions who had stayed behind, but even more worried about what lie ahead.

"We're close," Ichimaru told him, "so it can't be too many more." Sure enough, the group was finally closing in on the looming castle, which had look large enough from the distance. Ichimaru knew personally how intimidating his rightful home could seem at first, which was one reason he preferred Kan's more cozy atmosphere.

"I better get to fight Aizen for all this trouble," Zaraki growled on Kira's other side. "I've been waiting for a good fight."

"Don't get too big've a head," a new voice said lazily. "Ya ain't gonna get t' see Aizen 'cause I'm gonna kill ya here."

A flash of blue entered from the right and the unmistakable glint of metal flashed across Zaraki's scarred face. Just as the lord grinned in anticipation of the new opponent, the attack was blocked by an equally-eager soldier. Ikkaku grinned over his shoulder toward his superior, shrugging at the infuriated look he was given.

"What the fuck's this?" the blue-eyed Shokkaku soldier sneered, his eyes trained on Ikkaku's form. "Get the hell outta my way."

The bald man scoffed and demonstrated an impressive amount of strength as he pressed his defense into an offense and pushed the newcomer back. He surveyed the muscled stranger and immediately thought that he looked fast, deadly, but hot-headed and ignorant; much like he first imagined Ichigo. Ice-blue hair and cool markings around his eyes to match, the white-clad man balanced himself lightly on the balls of his feet. He seemed just as eager as a Kyuukaku soldier for battle, and Ikkaku wondered how he hadn't made his way to the war-hungry land.

"Sorry," Ikkaku drawled, grinning as he rested his double-headed spear against his shoulder, "but you're gonna fight me. I've been lookin' for someone strong t' fight and you look like a good candidate." He saw Yumichika shift from the corner of his eye and turned his attention to his closest friend. "Don't even think 'bout it; you're not stealin' my enemy again. You're going with Zaraki-sama."

"I wouldn't dare," Yumichika responded, acting offended.

"You said that before," Ikkaku reminded him, motioning with his weapon toward their intended path to Aizen's castle. "Get on outta here."

"Don't ignore me, ya stuck-up shit!" Grimmjow shouted, rushing Ikkaku with a brutality the skinhead had rarely seen outside of his own country. The shaft of his spear came up to block Grimmjow's thin blade just in time and he grinned as his foot budged just the slightest. This would be fun.

"Will he be alright?" Kira asked, watching the two fight with a fierceness that he felt to the very core of his soul.

"Don't worry," Yumichika said, "even if Ikkaku does die, he'll be happy to do so as long as he's fought someone like that."

"Come on," Yoruichi said in a firm voice. "We don't have time to stand around and chat." Ichimaru followed his old queen's lead, Kira and the rest trailing behind.

* * *

"Are you still upset about Ikkaku stealing your fight?" Yumichika teased his lord, now left to keep with Zaraki for company. Kira seemed disappointingly attached to Ichimaru's side.

Zaraki grunted in response. "I was above his level, anyway," he muttered lowly. "Just means I'll get ta fight someone stronger."

Ahead of the Kyuukaku soldiers, Ukitake walked calmly in thought. Urahara and Hisagi were capable soldiers, but what sort of power did their opponent bring? He shook his head lightly, stirring himself just in time to notice a movement of white from the corner of his eye. Turning his head quickly, a faint smile tugged at his lips. "I was wondering when it would be my turn."

Ukitake's words caught the rest of the groups attention and their heads all turned toward a single figure, much smaller than their previous encounters. Of course, one could never judge an opponent by their size. Skin that was practically colored by the moonlight stood out under pitch black hair. Striking green eyes stood out against the comparatively bleak features, regarding the group with solemn disgust.

Ulquiorra's gaze barely graced Ukitake before narrowing in on Ichimaru. "I was sent to stop you," he said simply, his monotone voice carrying only as far as the ears it was intended for.

Ichimaru's smile never faded as he rubbed the back of his head in a rather sheepish manner. "Hate t' disappoint ya," he apologized, "but I gotta get on t' speak with Sousuke."

"It wasn't an option," Ulquiorra replied and, with no further comment, pulled the blade at his side from its sheath and pointed it toward him.

"Like I said, I gott-" A flash of eerie green light silenced Ichimaru immediately as some, otherworldly power shot from the tip of Ulquiorra's sword, aimed straight at him. Reacting much quicker than his nonchalant attitude suggested, Ichimaru quickly dodged the beam of magic, but his concern was hardly laid to rest. Magic wasn't something common in Kataku, and only one clan he had ever known of could wield such a power. Turning to Yoruichi, he confirmed by the bewildered look on her face that it was definitely nothing to be expected.

"Where did you get that?!" Kan's former ruler demanded. She took a step immediately toward Ulquiorra and narrowed her eyes. "Answer me!"

Upon the pale-faced soldier's silence, Ichimaru posed the question that was on everyone's mind. "Yoruichi-sama, what's goin' on?"

"That sword," she murmured lowly, her golden-yellow eyes surveying both the weapon and its wielder carefully, "the Shihouin Blade. It's infused with the greatest evil magic of my clan, and in the hands of a Shihouin could level towns." A frown tugged her lips downward even more. "Even in the hands of someone like this person, it's dangerous. Where did you get that weapon?" she demanded again, turning her attention fully to Ulquiorra.

A crack of thunder caught Kira's attention and, next to him, Ichimaru shifted impatiently. "It's gettin' close," he murmured lowly. Though, if Kira were to be honest, he thought he heard just the slightest excitement in his lord's voice.

"Ukitake," Yoruichi's voice was low and dangerous as she spoke to the pensive lord. "You won't be able to stand up against a power like that." She started slightly when the white-haired man gave a light chuckle, despite the tense atmosphere.

"I'm not as weak as everyone seems to think I am, you know," he chided lightly. It was true, he had an illness and a benevolent nature, but he didn't hold rank just for his kindness.

"Will he be okay?" Kira whispered to Ichimaru. Despite Ukitake's confidence, the power their opponent wielded had even Yoruichi concerned. He was sure it would be difficult, at the very least.

The silver-haired lord waved a hand, carelessly. "Watch 'em if ya want," he offered, "but I ain't got the time t' be stickin' around." He turned his attention to Yoruichi, a slight frown tugging at his lips. "Yer gonna stay, ain't ya?"

Giving a confirming nod, Yoruichi crossed her arms over chest. "Kisuke would never forgive me if I didn't," she said with a grin. "Besides," she added in a more serious tone, her eyes trained on Ulquiorra, "I want to see how this boy handles a weapon way out of his league."

Giving a cheerful smile once more, Ichimaru waved a hand to his recently-parted friends. "Good luck!" He jerked his head down their designated path and turned from the scene. "C'mon, Izuru."

Reluctantly, Kira followed his lord's lead with the rest. A glance over his shoulder revealed Ukitake unsheathing a pair of twin scimitars, their hilts curved into circles. _"How does he plan to fight someone using magic with a simple weapon like that?"_ the young blonde wondered. Wishing Ukitake the best of luck, slightly more assured that Yoruichi was staying behind, Kira focused on the battle that would still lie ahead.

* * *

I still love writing Grimmjow.


	23. A Brief Reprieve

_A short break from the strain and despair of war..._

"I-Ichimaru-taichou!" Kira's face flushed as he attempted to retreat back into his room. It felt like so long ago that he had been afraid of his large, foreboding quarters, but since relaxing into Kan and its lifestyle, it became a safe haven from certain things. Things...like _this_.

"Ya look great, Izuru!" Ichimaru laughed and tugged the blonde back into the hall by his wrist. "Whatcha hidin' for? I didn't think ya had the legs fer it, but ya proved me wrong."

"This...this is embarrassing!" Kira scowled lightly as his eyes turned downward to the royal blue lolita-styled dress he had been practically ordered into. "Why do I have to wear _this_?" He had also, at some point or another, become so comfortable that he felt voicing his opinion on certain matters was valid. More valid, certainly, than wearing a dress.

"Don't act so shy," Ichimaru told him, wrapping an arm firmly around the thin waist. He leaned down and pressed his nose against Kira's flushed cheek. "I think ya look jus' fine."

The soft murmur only served to explode a new shade of crimson as Kira's head lowered into a silent surrender. "Fine," he finally sighed, giving one last, futile tug at the hem of the dress.

"Great!" Ichimaru declared with a wide grin. "Then let's go, lunch'll be over before we even get out there."

"Where's Hanatarou?" Kira wondered as he followed his lord through the winding castle halls.

Ichimaru paused and tilted his head over his shoulder. "Tha's a good question. Did ya check his room?"

Jumping at the chance to prolong his public embarrassment, Kira immediately stepped backward. "I'll check!" he volunteered, a bit too enthusiastically, and dashed back down the hall.

"Such a chicken," Ichimaru sniggered, folding his arms across his chest.

* * *

_Knock, knock._

"Hanatarou-kun?" Kira asked the door lightly. Not receiving any immediate response, the blonde pressed his way inside his fellow servant's quarters. His eyes scanned over the room-- much like his own in its luxury and furnishings-- until they settled on a full-length mirror against the far wall. Or, more accurately, the boy in front of it.

Dressed in his own, typically black, dress, Hanatarou spun in a circle, admiring the way the frills danced into the air before settling down once more. He gave a light giggle and struck a pose for himself, catching a light movement in the mirror's reflection. His eyes traveled up and up until they met startling blue ones and a blush quickly covered the younger male's cheeks.

"Kira-san!" The fragile- (and rather feminine) looking boy spun around to face a very disturbed blonde. "Erm, I was just....uh... well... isn't this dress just adorable?!"

"Adorable," Kira repeated slowly. "Yeah, of course..." What was _wrong_ with this kid? He shook his head lightly and motioned with his head. "Ichimaru-sama wants us to go now."

Hanatarou's eyes lit up a bit as he bounded from his room, past Kira, and into the hall. "Then what are you waiting for? Come on!" Showing a great deal more enthusiasm than he usually did, Hanatarou grasped Kira's hand in his own and half-led, half-drug the older boy toward their doom (or delight, depending on who you were in the situation).

* * *

It was one of those rare times when Kan's hills and valleys were flooded with light, and the shadows that normally crept across the grounds were banished to only the crevices of the kingdom. The sun was sinfully warm, pleasantly chilled by a light breeze, and the atmosphere blissfully peaceful. A long picnic table stretched out, filled with fruit and sandwiches and everything else one could imagine eating. In celebration of everything and nothing in particular, Ichimaru had extended an invitation to his allies and enemies alike to gather for a friendly luncheon.

The response, as expected, had turned out brilliantly. Everyone was there, from Zaraki's silent servant, Ichinose, to even the distrusted and despised Aizen. It wasn't a time for politics or grudges, but relaxation and temporary forgetfulness of past crimes. It was the sun's heat, most excused, that drove Ichimaru into such a pleasant mood. Even his two-faced ways seemed a bit more honest. Of course, a few of the more vulgar participants muttered about that he'd finally gotten laid. Whatever the case, they all reaped the benefits.

"There they are!" The host waved a hand as his two subordinates finally exited the castle into the expansive property in the back. "We've been waitin' fer ya."

Kira looked around the table-- it really _was_ everyone. Of course Ukitake had shown, with Hisagi and Urahara in tow, and likely due to his nagging, Byakuya had made an appearance as well. Naturally, Renji and Rukia were at their lord's side. It was also no surprise to see Hitsugaya there, and anyone who knew Matsumoto (which most did, be it for better or worse) knew she never missed an opportunity to blow off some steam.

It likely shocked the better half of the guests to see Zaraki lounging toward the front of the table, but Kira knew that he wouldn't pass up a chance to put off whatever duties he had back home. Of course, he noticed with a twinge of happiness, Yumichika and Ikkaku had joined their lord; Ichinose's presence had raised an eyebrow, but Kira hardly questioned it.

Finally, Kira's gaze fell to Ichimaru's side. Seemingly warm-spirited and kind, the man that he had heard so much of (so _poorly_ of), Aizen Sousuke was no doubt intimidating. Kira could understand the initial deception-- he looked like such a benevolent man-- and it was hard to imagine that he was the evil brother, so to speak. Next to him was a cheerful and rather pretty young girl, who looked as if she had not a care in the world.

Kira wondered to himself how welcoming Ichimaru must be, to have gathered all these different personalities in one place, peacefully. He was jolted from his thoughts by Hanatarou, once again, pulling on his wrist. He found himself being led to the party and took a place next to Ichigo, who had claimed his spot on Ichimaru's right side.

"Nice dress," the carrot-top grinned, his teasing only encouraged by the blush permanently spread across Kira's cheeks.

"Kira-kun." That man was speaking to him. Kira's head raised in Aizen's direction, a bit timid at the intense gaze it caught. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you," his head tilted just slightly toward Ichimaru, "I've heard so much about you."

Ichimaru frowned slightly in Aizen's direction. "Don't be lookin' at 'im like that," he warned, muttering a soft 'pervert' under his breath before grinning in Kira's direction. "But I guess I should be keepin' my guard up with ya lookin' like that, eh? You'll have half the country after ya."

"Th-that's not true," the blonde insisted. "Shouldn't we eat now?"

"Best suggestion I've heard all day!" Zaraki shouted from the end of the table.

Kira blinked in his old king's direction-- how had he heard that from all the way down there? He thought to ask, but all attention was drawn toward the host as he stood from his seat and raised his glass.

"I ain't much at givin' speeches, but Ichigo wouldn't do it for me, so here goes." The silver-haired man paused and cast a glance at Aizen before continuing. "Here's t' puttin' the past where it belongs. We ain't gettin' any younger, an' this world's got it out for us well enough without us tryin' an' killin' each other."

The brunette raised his glass in agreement with his brother's toast. "To every special bond we've made in the past, every dear friend we hold close in the present, and every new adventure we'll wage through together in the future."

Next to Ichimaru, Ichigo grinned and stood as well. "To Ichimaru-sama!"

A resounding cheer finished the short ceremony and the feasting began. Zaraki and Ikkaku immediately began fighting each other for the plates of meat closest to their seats, while Yumichika sat idly by, wrinkling his nose in distaste at their actions. Hisagi and Urahara began their own bickering over who would serve Ukitake's food, too caught up in their quarrel to notice the soft-spoken king helping himself to the bounty of foods they had already piled on their own plates.

"This is nice," Hinamori murmured, smiling across the table at Kira, "isn't it?"

A little surprised at being addressed, the blonde nodded his agreement and fiddled with his utensils. "It's peaceful."

Everyone had settled down, and a content silence hung over the table as the citizens of Kataku, enemies and friends alike, enjoyed their meal. Grudges were forgiven, damaged bonds were renewed, and nothing mattered other than the serenity that the celebration had brought. For now, even if it were temporary, the world was held in a calm reprieve.

* * *

This is my way of updating without really updating. Also my way of getting Kira in a dress. ;D


	24. Reinforcements Appear, Mikaku Arrives!

The quiet serenity of the forest was quickly shaken alive by a small group of trees plummeting their way toward the ground. Their downfall was caused by none other than Ikkaku's muscled frame hurtling through them, the receiving end of one of Grimmjow's attacks.

The bald soldier jumped from the debris, a wide grin still planted on his face. "This is great!" he shouted to his fighting partner. His blood was pumping (more or less _out _of the gashes along his chest and arms, but pumping, nonetheless), and he felt more alive on the brink of possible death than he had in quite some time.

"Idiot," Grimmjow scoffed. "Stop wastin' my time! You're way outta your league." Not waiting for another word from the other male, he launched himself forward, aiming a spiked punch toward Ikkaku's chest. His weapon of choice, spiked gauntlets that ran up his entire arm and protruded even more spikes from the shoulders, made use of his pure, raw strength. It wasn't a sissy weapon like a sword, or something stupid like that.

Ikkaku let out a short laugh and dodged out of the way, the edges of the spikes scraping just the surface of his skin. "You're fast," he commented. "I'm surprised, since ya look so stupid!"

Instead of acknowledging the insult with another retort, the blue-haired soldier simply growled and charged in for another attack, swiping at Ikkaku's head. The Kyuukaku native ducked under the assault and spun his spear toward the ground in an attempt to knock Grimmjow off his feet. Not one to be caught off-guard, Grimmjow easily jumped over the weapon and aimed a swift kick to Ikkaku's head, only to be blocked.

Distancing himself a bit, Grimmjow took a moment to survey his opponent. "I gotta say, I ain't disappointed with how a Kyuukaku handles himself." Ikkaku looked like he could pack quite a punch, but beyond that, he seemed too brutish to be very skilled with a weapon. Looks could be deceiving, he supposed.

The leaner man let out a short laugh. "S'that so? Ya fight like one yourself."

"Not a chance," Grimmjow said, grinning as shifted a foot toward the other. "Born an' raised in Shokkaku, just in a tougher district than ya usually associate with it." Before he had been recruited by Aizen to serve in the castle, Grimmjow had lived for nothing but a good fight- much the way he presumed all Kyuukaku residents lived their entire lives. It hadn't become boring, per say, but having a solid roof over his head and subordinates of his own to boss around wasn't such a bad thing.

"Then prove it!" Ikkaku shouted, renewing his assault to silently declare the conversation over. He rushed Grimmjow, thrusting his spear straight toward the other's exposed stomach.

Instead of dodging out of the way, like most would, Grimmjow's lips pulled up in a grin and he grasped the assaulting spearhead in his spiked fist, stopping the attack instantly. His grin only widened as realization sunk into Ikkaku's mind. "Looks like you're outta luck."

Luck. That one word shook Ikkaku from his daze that Grimmjow's brute strength had set him in, and replaced his startled expression with an excited grin. "Luck?" he repeated. "Are you kiddin'? This is the luckiest day of my life!" Giving the shaft of his spear a good twist, Ikkaku separated the two halves of his weapon, revealing a hidden chain in the wooden casing. Catching his opponent off=guard, the bald-headed soldier shoved the free half of his spear into Grimmjow's shoulder.

Clenching his teeth against the wound, Grimmjow bounced back from the assault and practically snarled in Ikkaku's direction. "That was a damn dirty trick. I didn't realize I was fightin' with a _bitch_."

Ikkaku's eye twitched just slightly at the insult and he shifted back into a defensive stance, one half of his weapon in each hand. "Dirty trick? Like it's my fault if you're too stupid to notice an obvious connection in the wood!" This guy sure did like to talk a lot.

"Enough!" Grimmjow shouted, flicking drops of blood from the points of his gauntlets. "We're ending this!" He rushed Ikkaku again, aiming a spiked fist for the bald man's face. Both halves of the joined weapon came up to block the attack, but instead of aiming for another part of his body, Grimmjow persisted with his force and dug the spikes of his other hand into the wood, as well.

Figuring that this guy wasn't so different and was becoming flustered by the prolonged fighting, Ikkaku laughed out loud. "What's that gonna do?" he demanded. "You're getting sloppy!"

Instead of responding, though he had any number of things he could think to say at this moment, Grimmjow twisted his fists, the pointed edges piercing through the wooden shaft. His opponent noticed the tactic a moment too late and with another, good twist, the gauntlets broke through the weaker surface and the weapon was shattered into splinters.

Not one to lose an opening, Grimmjow immediately shoved his fist into Ikkaku's face, sending the weaponless soldier hurdling back into a tree. Following with quick reflexes, Grimmjow mercilessly pounded the other man's face in, the force of his attacks cracking the tree behind Ikakku until it fell to the forest floor. With a laugh, Grimmjow stood over the bloodied mess that was his opponent. "Where's your fighting spirit, now?" he shouted before delving in for another series of attacks.

* * *

From her perch on a high tree branch, Yoruichi watched the battle below with a slightly furrowed brow. She watched as Ukitake dodged blast after blast of magic from Ulquiorra's sword, but as thankful she was that he was still on his feet, she knew- as he and Ulquiorra must both know- that he couldn't last that way forever.

As if mirroring the female's thought process, Ukitake gave one more dodge, just barely avoiding the large, scorching blast of power from the strange soldier's weapon, before realizing he needed to end this battle sooner rather than later. The longer it drug out, the higher his chances of not making it to the castle were. With this thought in mind, he raced toward Ulquiorra before the other could get another shot off, and brought both scimitars down toward the man's chest, forcing him to use his powerful weapon as a defense instead of offense.

"For being the lord of such a peaceful kingdom," Ulquiorra commented lowly, hardly phased by this change in tactic, "you use quite brutish methods."

Grateful for the slight breather in form of mid-battle conversation, Ukitake offered his opponent a smile, though never relented on the force pressing down on the other's blade. "I'm sorry. If there was another alternative, I would gladly seize it."

Ulquiorra didn't respond immediately, instead giving the fragile man an odd look. "It isn't wise to apologize to your enemies."

With that finishing statement, the two wordlessly agreed that their reprieve was over and Ukitake initiated the fight once again, bringing one of his blades towards the other's stomach. As he assaulted Ulquiorra with relentless attacks, keeping close to avoid being targeted by that frightful magic again, the dark-haired man made every effort to put himself at a safe distance, knowing that the further he was from this man, the more quickly and assuredly his victory would be.

Not one for a game of cat-and-mouse, Ulquiorra quickly allowed Ukitake to follow his retreat in an obvious pattern before abruptly breaking it and sliding left when his trajectory had been in a clockwise pattern. Ukitake wasn't completely caught off-guard, quickly following his opponents movements, but the split second lead was all Ulquiorra needed to send a blast of his powerful weapon into the ground between them, falling back under the cover of dust and dirt.

Realizing this tactic, and cursing himself for not being more careful, Ukitake's eyes trained on the last spot his had seen his opponent, unsure of where he would strike from next. His obvious disadvantage, though, became even more apparent as an expected blast of green magic caught him off-guard and hit him squarely in his shoulder. Surely Ulquiorra had been aiming for his heart or his head, but perhaps the cloud of dust that was settling had thrown off his aim.

Throwing away his cover, realizing that his only clear shot would be if he could see Ukitake as well as Ukitake could see him, Ulquiorra approached the injured man. "You're holding back," he criticized the other lightly, sword raised to finish the job in a closer fashion. "If you aren't fighting to kill, then you shouldn't be fighting at all."

Suppressing the urge to allow his body a coughing fit, likely triggered by the abuse from the fight and the rising cloud of dust he had been in, Ukitake still managed a light smile in the other's direction. "I would rather not solve things with violence. You must see that what Aizen is trying to do is wrong."

Wrong. What his lord was doing was wrong? The thought had never crossed Ulquiorra's mind and, even as it was being suggested to him, it still never entered his train of thought. "Words such as 'right' and 'wrong' hold no meaning to me. I prefer to follow one direction, regardless of what path it takes me down."

Finally, Ukitake lost his smile. Not just at the realization that there was no convincing this person to agree to a cease-fire, so to speak, but also because of how _empty_ the statement sounded. At this tug to his heart, his body failed him briefly enough for him to fall to one knee, using one of his scimitars as support. "That sounds to me less like a soldier following orders and more like a sheep following its herder."

Sheep? Sure, Ulquiorra could lump many of his fellow soldiers in with that term. They followed blindly, without reason and perhaps even against their better judgment and personal wishes. These things did not apply to him. That _word _did not apply to him, and it was the last insult this man would ever utter. Raising his sword, he decided that this person, weak and ineffective, did not deserve a personal death. Stepping back away from the downed lord, Ulquiorra sent a final beam of burning magic toward the fallen Ukitake.

She could tell from the bowed head of her friend that Ukitake had already forgotten she was there. Yoruichi gave a small sigh and, in a flash, was there before her injured comrade, shouting a simple spell of, "Divert!" to intervene with the energy blast and send it hurtling into a nearby tree instead of her friend.

As the fallen wood shook the ground briefly, Ukitake raised his head in gratitude. "Don't get injured too badly," he said, though confident that a native of her clan could combat the powers Ulquiorra wielded much better than himself. "If something happens to me, you'll have to look after Hisagi and Kisuke."

Yoruichi let out a bark of a laugh and settled one hand on her hip as she glanced behind herself to the injured man. "No one can keep a tab on those two like you do. Besides," she paused to face Ulquiorra once more, despite not pegging him as the type to take a cheap shot, "instead of planning for a future like that, do more to make sure it never happens!" Before Ukitake could reply again, she turned her attention fully to the pale soldier before her. "Hey, you!" she said, pointing an accusing finger at him. "Who exactly do you think you are, playing around with that type of magic? Even with that sword, the level you can obtain is nothing compared to a Shihouin's abilities!" At his lack of response, she grinned ever so slightly. "Want a demonstration?"

The word 'Destroy!' was shouted into the silent, night air and the ground lit up with a red beam of magic, sprouting from the female's hands. Ulquiorra dodged it easily, though lost his cool reserve for just a moment at the aftermath: Large claw marks, like those of a huge cat too big to possibly exist, dug into the ground where he had been standing. Allowing only a second of shock to stir him, his calm facade quickly fell back into place as he looked back at her, waiting for her next move.

"Do you understand, now?" she demanded, a bit angry that he still seemed to believe that he could compete with her. "You're way out of your league!"

Why did these people find it so necessary to talk so much during a fight? Still, it seemed the only way to expedite matters would be to goad the woman into fighting. "The amount of power is irrelevant," he said calmly, "if the user is inadequate."

Inadequate? Yoruichi growled lowly in the back of her throat and sent another attack of the same caliber at the man. Before he had time to fully land from dodging, she shot off another attack, following him closely in a tight circle. Finally, after half a dozen attacks, her magic wasn't the only red that splashed the grass below. Her last spell had caught Ulquiorra's leg and, under his pale clothing, vivid red blood dripped down his skin.

Feeling that much more in control of the situation, Yoruichi's grin only widened when Ulquiorra shot an attack at her, missing her body by at least half a foot. Letting out a laugh, she gestured to herself. "Where were you aiming? I'm right here!"

Seemingly, though, Ulquiorra was hardly disturbed by his off-set attack. "Need I remind you that we are not the only ones on the battlefield?"

Just as if her throat had been slit, Yoruichi's laugh cut off immediately and her attention snapped behind her. Surely enough, as the dread welling up in her stomach had begun to fear, Ukitake lay behind her motionless, a gaping hole in his stomach from the blast of energy. Torn between helping her comrade and finishing off this arrogant bastard, Yoruichi finally let out a frustrated shout and charged toward Ulquiorra, evidently intending to finish him with her bare hands.

As before, Ulquiorra aimed an attack at the ground to cause a cloud of dust to errupt into the air. "You two are no longer a threat to Lord Aizen," he stated and before the dust cleared, he was gone.

Frustrated beyond belief, but seeing no sense in trying to chase down the retreating man, she quickly turned back to Ukitake and reached his side in record time, eyes widening at just how much blood could fit into that frail body.

Not surprisingly, even on death's doorstep, the white-haired lord was calm and rather serene, though obviously in much pain. "In times of war," he whispered, "casualties are always assured on both sides."

"Shut up," she snapped, looking more determined than upset or fearful. "If you have any respect for Hisagi and Kisuke, then you won't die when you forbid them from doing as much."

With his trademark smile, Ukitake closed his eyes, the soft chuckle that slipped from his throat followed by a convulsing coughing fit. "My fate has already been sealed, through the disease I acquired from the Ichou. As far as casualties go, I am not a large loss to this world."

Yoruichi's fingers balled into fists and she forced herself not to strike the dying man. "Why do you think it's a good idea to shorten your life just because you're dying anyway?" she demanded, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. But no. Yoruichi was stronger than that; she wouldn't cry now, not when there were still others fighting for their lives. Not when Ukitake was still fighting for his.

"Sorry," he managed out, "I'm acting quite childish, aren't I?"

"You are," she agreed, her voice dropping to a whisper as her hand laid over the wound on his stomach, "but that's enough talking for now." And as Ukitake closed his eyes, now that she couldn't be seen by anyone, Yoruichi allowed the tears to escape.

* * *

Wiping blood from his mouth with the back of his sleeve, Grimmjow took a moment to survey the damage his and Ikkaku's fight had caused the surrounding area. A good number of trees had fallen and the ground was splashed red with the blood of a ferocious battle. At his feet lay the unmoving body of his former opponent, and a small grin tugged up the corner of his lips. He'd never really considered fighting _fun. _Rather, he found it a good way to release some pent-up aggression, which he had plenty of. Granted, he did love exerting his dominance over another person and with one as strong as the bald-headed man had been, he did get a bit of a thrill out of it. It was a shame it was over.

"What... Did you do this?"

The words spilled from a disbelieving, loud mouth and took Grimmjow a bit by surprise. Did Ichimaru's group have reinforcements? Well, if they did, they came a bit too late. Glancing over his shoulder, the blue-haired man split his face into a wicked grin. "Yeah. You got a problem with it?" He finally turned fully to face what he assumed would be his next opponent. Fiery red hair and a heated attitude to match; maybe this guy would give him a bit more of that thrill he'd rarely felt in battle. "By the way... who the fuck are you? Not that it really matters."

Finally peeling his eyes from Ikkaku's still form, Renji's brows knitted together in a deep scowl. "You're right, it doesn't matter," he agreed, raising a long, wide sword to point in Grimmjow's direction. "Because I'm going to kill you no matter what."

* * *

Silence rung heavily in Yoruichi's ears as she looked out across the scorched land, a direct result of her and Ulquiorra's short battle. Any animals that may have made noise in the nearby woods or any crickets that might have come out during the strange nighttime that blanketed Shokkaku were likely scared off by the violent exchange. It was so quiet, in fact, that despite the soft- terribly soft- breathing of the unconscious man next to her, Yoruichi quickly picked up on slowly-approaching footsteps. Reading herself for another assault, she sprung to her feet, turned in the direction of the soft rustle of dead grass, and froze in place at the sight before her.

After a moment, she let out a breath and allowed her muscles to relax. "You're getting sloppy," she scolded the man before her, "I could hear you coming a mile away, Byakuya."

Dignified and somber as always, the noble man trained his gaze in on Yoruichi, his brow furrowing just a bit. "I don't recall ever claiming stealth as one of my-" his words fell off mid-sentence and, for once in his life, his composure was lost. The sight of Ukitake slumped against the tree behind Yoruichi set his mind into full alert and in the panic, he failed to see the slight rise and fall of the other man's chest. Though his facial features altered very slightly- a brief widening of his eyes and the slight gap between his parted lips- his entire brain went into overdrive and he was positive if the woman near him hadn't already, he would _destroy _the person who did this.

"It's alright," she said quickly, trying already to calm down what she knew could possibly be a terrifying sight, "he's just resting. I've healed him as best I can with my clan's magic, but I was never great at that sort of thing." She had, admittedly, always focused on the offensive magic, reasoning that if her attack was good enough that she would have no reason to heal anything.

Despite her words of reassurance, Byakuya immediately raced to Ukitake's side, kneeling in the dirt next to him. He placed a light hand on the other man's shoulder and the simple touch alone seemed to stir the injured one from his slumber.

"Byakuya," he murmured, a smile gracing his lips despite barely having the energy to fully open his eyes. "It's good to see you well."

"I hate to break up this little reunion, but I have to go help Ichimaru," Yoruichi said in a firm voice. She had been able to help Ukitake- for a moment, she was afraid she wouldn't be able to- but how many others were out there right now, waiting for that same help? What if Ichimaru was one of them?

"I'll stay with Juushirou," Byakuya stated resolutely. Yoruichi didn't need to be told twice, and as she left, the graceful lord took in his friend's full appearance and gave a rare, slight smile. "You remind me of the day we first met, sitting under a tree like this."

"Getting sentimental?" Ukitake wondered, his head tilting slightly as Byakuya sat next to him. "That's so unlike you."

Clearing his throat lightly, though by no means attempting to put on a front for his old friend, the black-haired male shifted a little in his spot. "It seems war does strange things to people."

"Indeed it does," Ukitake agreed, sending a glance to his weapons laying at his side. The effort of being awake and talking soon wore on his exhausted body and, without another word, Ukitake leaned back against Byakuya, his eyes closing once more.

Now trading places with Yoruichi in the dead silence, Byakuya's features darkened to a frown. Though they were foolish, weak thoughts, he couldn't help but wonder how much longer his friend had in this world.

* * *

Well, I've been gone for quite a while. How long has it been for this thing? At least two years, I think. I still don't intend to write anything brand new, but I did want to tie up as many loose ends with these fictions as I could and this seemed like the logical place to start. I'm sure my writing style has changed a bit over the years, but hopefully it won't be too jarring. Anyway, I do hope you enjoy these last chapters~


	25. The Last Stand

After what seemed like hours of running- really, it was only several, silent, tense minutes- Ichimaru's group finally reached the castle. From a distance, it was imposing, but up close each and every one of them could see how enormous it was. Not only was the structure large, but its endlessly black facade seemed to engulf everything around it, drawing in even the light from the sun that usually burned brightly over Shukkaku's kingdom.

"Here we are~" Ichimaru said slyly, his voice almost brimming with excitement.

Kira shot a look toward Ichigo, wondering if this was really something to be excited about, but the other boy didn't seem unnerved by his king's nonchalant attitude. Kira supposed he should be used to this sort of thing, by now, but wasn't even this situation tense enough to straighten that teasing grin on Ichimaru's lips? He wondered if perhaps even if death wouldn't draw away the humor Ichimaru extracted from the world around him.

Suddenly, the blonde was startled back to reality by the sight of a figure caught in his peripheral. He seemed to be the only one who noticed it- the others still searching every inch of the castle for possible traps or simply just taking in the sight- but as his attention focused on the slouched form, he wasn't sure how the others couldn't feel this intimidating presence so near to them.

Alright, so perhaps _intimidating_ wasn't the proper word for what seemed to be the final opponent before they reached Aizen, but despite his lack of aggression and a rather noncommittal look on his face, Kira was sure someone at the front gates of the castle wouldn't be weak.

The man was leaning against one of the structure's walls, surveying the group with a quiet intelligence Kira knew to be very dangerous in an enemy. His hands were nestled deep inside his pockets and he didn't seem as though he wanted to do anything more than observe to save his life.

Still, his presence shook Kira to the bone and he inched closer to Ichimaru, tugging quickly on the man's sleeve. "Lord Ichimaru," he murmured lowly, eyes still trained on the stranger.

"Hm~? What is it, Izuru? Don't tell me ya got cold feel all of a sudden." It didn't take Ichimaru long to follow his subordinate's line of sight and the rest of the group followed suit until the once-unnoticed man became the center of everyone's attention.

This seemed to irritate him quite a bit as he heaved a heavy sigh before shoving off from his temporary resting place to stand straight and take exactly one, non-threatening step toward the group. However, as little of an advance as it was, it was all that was necessary to set the war-hungry Zaraki into action.

The giant bulk of a man found his way to the front of the group immediately, grinning from ear to ear. "Ya look pretty laid-back, but bein' all the way up here, I'm bettin' ya got a lotta power behind ya. I'll be your opponent, then."

Cool, gray eyes surveyed this new threat with not a bit of interest before the man's shoulders gave a light shrug. "I don't really think it's necessary," Stark said calmly, eyes flickering from Zaraki to the rest of the group and back again.

"Eh?" Zaraki muttered, glancing back at his comrades. "What ain't necessary about it? We're here t' kill your king, ya know! Of course it's necessary!"

Still, despite the threat, Stark remained impassive. "I was ordered only to act if I thought Lord Aizen couldn't handle it himself." As if putting emphasis on his opinion of the group, he looked them over once more. "I don't think it's necessary," he repeated, almost as if speaking to a child.

Knowing that underestimating Zaraki was the surest way to get him fired up even more- not to mention that the large man's assessment of this opponent's power was probably close to home- Ichimaru placed a hand on Zaraki's shoulder, smiling a bit more at the irritated look he received. "I sure would love t' leave ya here an' let ya have a bit've fun," he said lightly, "but I think I might need your services upstairs." With Aizen, he meant, of course. Stark wasn't totally inaccurate in his assumption that even their large group would have a tough time of taking Aizen out and Ichimaru wasn't about to lose his best chance at killing his sibling.

Taking the hint, Ichigo stepped up to put in his own two cents. "Come on," he urged with a wide grin and a slap to Zaraki's back, "I didn't come all this way so we could fight in separate battles. How long's it been since we've worked together?"

Feeling that he was indeed being baited, but unable to deny his former subordinate a matching grin, Zaraki sunk back a little. "Too fuckin' long."

"Great!" Ichimaru said, clapping his hands together once. "Since that's decided, we really should get movin'. We ain't got much time left." Indeed, as if to emphasize his words, a crack of thunder from an unseen storm shook the sky.

"Oh, let's go!" Yumichika said in a hurry, grabbing Kira's wrist and tugging him toward the main doors of the castle. "If it starts raining, my hair will _never _recover."

"Is it really that bad?" Kira wondered, but could recall plenty of fits being thrown by his friend because Kyuukaku's heat drove it from sleek and shiny to frizzy and puffy. Regardless, he was eager to get away from the extremely passive enemy and toward their end goal. So, with the rest of the group close in tow, he and Yumichika entered the castle.

* * *

Following the easily-spotted path of fallen trees and blood-soaked grass, Yoruichi bounded through the forest where she had seen Ikkaku disappear with his blue-haired opponent. Once Byakuya had arrived, her first instinct was to rush and help Ichimaru, but she couldn't bear the thought of finding everyone else without bearing the news of those left behind, good or bad. How many others, she wondered, parted from the rest after she and Ukitake? If it were too many, she feared Gin's chances against Aizen may be slim.

Yellow eyes scanned the scenery, looking for that identifiable, bald head. When they finally found it, however, it was not as she was expecting. Ikkaku was a Kyuukaku soldier. For him to be defeated in battle, laying lifeless on the ground as he was, must have meant his opponent was extremely skilled. Or extremely brutal, judging from the state of her former ally's face.

Just as her muscles were tensing, ready to be attacked upon discovery of Ikkaku's body, her eyes caught another sight: The striking blue hair of the Shokkaku warrior that had assaulted their group. He was, as Ikkaku was, dead, his body having taken more than a few fatal injuries by something that was most definitely not the bald man's spear. Her brow furrowed in concentration and, kicking herself for it, jumped a bit when a voice spoke from behind her.

"Who're you?"

She spun around and caught sight of a different shade of red from the splattered blood everywhere. Bright red, sitting atop a man's head in a rather obscene fashion, if she said so herself. Her eyes narrowed and she moved into a defensive position; there was no telling if this man was friend or foe. "Shihouin Yoruichi," she replied cautiously. "And you are?"

Renji blinked a couple times, his mind racing to place the name. He knew he'd heard it before, from both Byakuya and Ukitake. Then, it struck him. "Oh!" he said, motioning wildly with his hands, which seemed only to put her more on edge. "You're that woman! Lord Ukitake's friend, right?"

At the mention of her sick comrade's name, Yoruichi relaxed a bit. "You know Ukitake?"

Renji paused at the question, then gave a little shrug. "Well enough, I guess. I see him a lot when he comes to visit Byakuya." He half-expected to hear his king's voice from behind him, berating him endlessly for calling him so informally, even when he wasn't around. Or, perhaps it would be _especially_ because he wasn't around. But only silent contemplation from this woman came.

"So you're from Mikaku," she surmised, looking him up and down. "You're a long way from home. Did you come with little Byakuya on his trip here?"

'Little Byakuya'? She couldn't be too much older than him! Who was this woman, anyway? Where did she get off calling _his_ king something like that? In blatant disregard to being a total hypocrite, Renji crossed his arms and held his head a bit higher. "Byakuya chose me _particularly_ to come with him." From the evidence of a dead Grimmjow, he didn't even need to point out that it was obviously the _right _choice.

Yoruichi, instead of rising to the apparent game of 'who knows Mikaku's lord better', became amused by the obviously-younger man's arrogance. "Oh, did he now~?" she asked, a sly grin crossing over her lips. "You're that good, are you?"

A little taken back by the lack of resistance to his claims, Renji recovered a moment later and let a huge grin of his own cross his lips. "You bet I am!" He motioned with a hand toward Grimmjow's body- okay, so maybe it was necessary. "Just look at that!" He then faltered, catching a glimpse of Ikkaku's body. "But I was too late, I guess."

Yoruichi frowned a little and gave a light sigh. "I need to check on the others that we left behind. What will you do?"

There were others? Of course there were. Who, Renji wondered? He hoped Hisagi and Urahara were alright, along with Ukitake. He might find himself at odds with the three at times, but they were some of the closest things he had to friends. Even if they did live all the way across their small world.

"I need to find my king," he stated blatantly. Not only did he want to make sure Byakuya didn't get caught up in a fight, but his job was to serve and protect that man. How could he do that sitting around here, looking at corpses?

"He's fine," Yoruichi assured him, waving a hand at his startled look. "He came after I chased off the pain in the ass that nearly killed Ukitake."

"Lord Ukitake's-?" Renji started, taking a step toward the female.

"I said almost!" Yoruichi snapped, cutting him off with a fierce glare. It was a ridiculous reaction, perhaps, but the guilt still stung that his main injury was her fault. If she'd been just a bit more careful; a bit more observant. Crossing her arms, she turned away from Renji. "They're both fine, so go do something more useful than checking up on them!" Useful. That's what she had to make herself to make up for both letting Ukitake be so hurt _and_ letting her opponent escape.

A little bewildered by this woman in general, Renji slowly nodded. "I'll head toward the castle, then," he stated. "If they need help stopping Aizen, I want to be there."

"Good," Yoruichi said, looking off in her intended direction, which would unknowingly lead her straight toward Hitsugaya's death site. "If I don't get there in time to see it... make sure they kick his ass." And with that, she took off.

* * *

"But you really can't move in that condition! You just look silly trying!" Kisuke Urahara was trying his best to keep his friend- his _injured _friend- from following him toward the castle any further. Not only was he in bad shape and needed the rest, he would slow Urahara down, which is not something Urahara wanted.

"I have to go," Hisagi said, a bit more quietly but just as forcefully. "This could be it. The end of everything!" There was a slight note of desperation in his voice, but his look was steady as he caught the other man in his gaze. "I don't want to be alone when it happens. No," he reconsidered his words before speaking again, "I want to be with you when it does. If it does." He motioned toward Urahara's intended path. "I know that's how you feel about Lord Ukitake. I do, too. I won't keep you here, but I won't stay, either."

For a long moment, shaded eyes surveyed the young but impossibly-resilient and stubborn boy before them. Finally, they closed and a defeated sigh escaped into the air. "You sure know how to win an argument~"

"As if," Hisagi grunted as they began their slow trek onward. "I never win with you."

* * *

"Juushirou." The name was uttered lowly and accompanied by a few, very light nudges to the shoulder of the man in question.

"Mm?" Ukitake lifted his head slowly, eyes blinking back into consciousness as they focused on the fair-faced king. "What is it, Byakuya?"

"I... No, it's nothing," Byakuya said after a moment of consideration. He couldn't tell his friend that he had thought the subtle rise and fall of the fragile man's chest had finally stopped.

"You didn't think I'd pass away that easily, did you?" At the slightly flustered look he received, Ukitake chuckled lightly. "After fighting a battle like that, it wouldn't be very manly to die just sitting around." Not that Ukitake had ever captured anyone's perfect picture of 'manly'. "However," he added on, looking across the land, "I won't be able to make such a trip all the way to the castle."

"I understand," Byakuya said immediately, "and I'll stay here with you until it's over." And as much as he meant it- as much as he _wanted_ to stay with his friend- he couldn't help but wonder about the feisty redhead he left behind. They had come across that dead Kyuukaku soldier and the one that had killed him. Renji had insisted that Byakuya continue on and Byakuya was sure that Renji knew his concern for Ukitake outweighed all else. As much as he had faith in his soldier's skills and despite the fact that the Kyuukaku soldier must have put up quite a fight and worn his opponent out quite a bit, he still worried for Renji's wellbeing. It was the least he could offer the other man, after all.

Again, as if the silent man's mind was an open book, Ukitake called him out on his inner turmoil. "You must have come here with someone else." The look on Byakuya's face when someone he cared for was in alleged danger was unmistakable, if only because it was so unlike all of his other looks and because it happened so often. Not noticeably, of course, but being around the other man long enough, Ukitake had learned that subtle differences in expression and movement were all he was going to get to read, so he learned to pick up on them very well. If anyone else learned how to read the stoic king so well, he might not seem so stoic, after all.

An eyebrow quirked at the accusation. "And?"

"You're worried about him. Where did you leave him?"

Sometimes, Byakuya found himself very annoyed with just how well Ukitake knew him. Annoyed, but comforted; he was never one to come out and say he needed to talk about something or explain his feelings to someone, even if they were bordering on driving him insane. "With one of Aizen's soldiers. He had killed a strange-looking Kyuukaku soldier before we arrived."

Ukitake's face fell at the news. He didn't know Kyuukaku's king that well, let alone his underlings, but to hear his previous predictions of the casualties of war coming true was not good news. "I see," he murmured, then forced his mind to snap back to the matter at hand. He was sure there would be time for mourning the dead later, and right now his friend was concerned about someone who was still living. "Go and find him."

"No." The response was cold, short, and stubborn. It was also promptly received and discarded like old news.

"Byakuya," Ukitake said in a tired voice, giving his friend that 'I know you better than this' look. "I can't travel, but I won't die. This area is safe, anyway." He didn't wait for an objection and kept speaking, his expression falling a bit graver. "I also want you to find Kisuke and Shuuhei. I know they can take care of themselves, but I'm worried about them. Just like you're worried about Renji."

Byakuya's inner struggle was obvious, and small changes in the crease of his brow and squint of his eye displayed every back-and-forth that his mind was going under. Finally, he closed his eyes and shifted to detach himself from the other man. "Very well," he conceded, standing with his back to Ukitake, "but I will only leave you under the pretense of destroying your very being if you find it appropriate to die after I depart."

Highly amused, and knowing that such words were probably the sweetest Byakuya had ever uttered, Ukitake nodded his concession. "I promise not to die while you're away, and if I do, I give you every right to destroy my soul." It was an agreement obviously made in jest, but the promise was as sincere as any he'd ever made. If only for Byakuya and his subordinates, Ukitake would hold onto his life like it was that of someone else even more precious.

* * *

"We must be getting close," Kira whispered as he stopped with the dwindling group of soldiers at the foot of a staircase. Unlike the cold black marble that had built the castle around them until this point, the steps before them were coated in a white carpet, spiraling up and out of sight.

"Kinda cliche, don't ya think?" Ichimaru asked with a grin.

"Who cares?" Zaraki asked, shoving through to the front of the group. "No matter what sorta trick he's got up his sleeve, we're gonna rip 'im to shreds. Ain't that right, Ichigo?"

A bit inspired by hearing Zaraki call his name with such force, Ichigo nodded encouragingly. "Let's do this."

"Perhaps I should have stayed with Ikkaku," Yumichika considered as the group advanced up the stairs, Ichigo and Zaraki taking the lead at a run.

"Are you worried about him?" Kira wondered, trying his best to keep an eye on the steps ahead of him while still looking at his friend.

"No, not really," Yumichika admitted with a smile, "but as much as I love a good workout, this castle really depresses me and it's so big. Just look at all the black everywhere! And this white carpet does nothing but make the black seem darker."

"I guess," Kira agreed, "but it's kind of nice, isn't it?"

"You're just as depressing as the castle," Yumichika groaned, then gave a bit of a shout as he ran straight into Zaraki's back.

"Watch out," the king said in a gruff voice, staring down a door straight ahead. "We're here."

Though anticipation and nervousness flooded his veins, Ichimaru's grin only grew wider. "Well," he said, stepping forward and closing his fingers around the doorknob, "let's have some fun~"

Inside, the room was nearly blinding compared to the rest of the castle. Pure white filled every corner of the circular room, the only blemish lie in a hole carved from the ceiling through which the night sky and the glowing moon outside could be seen. Standing underneath the hole, his face turned upward towards it, was Aizen.

For a long moment, no one made a sound, and finally the king of the land turned his head toward the intruders, a smile lacing his lips. "Welcome," he murmured, eventually facing his entire body toward the group. His eyes barely grazed over Zaraki before focusing on Ichigo. "My, my, Ichigo. How quickly you heal. Isn't that fortunate?"

"Yeah," the carrot top growled, taking an impulsive step forward, "I heal almost as quickly as you run away!"

"Now, now, Ichigo," Ichimaru chided, taking an identical step forward to draw Aizen's attention to himself. "I'll give ya one more chance, Aizen. Ya can go on peacefully and save us all the trouble of killin' ya. It's the least ya can do, ain't it?"

Before Aizen had the chance to verbally respond- because certainly his face transformed into quite a smug look at the implications behind his brother's words- another, smaller form appeared from behind him and stood at attention, ready to attack and defend.

"Hinamori," Aizen said lowly, placing a hand on the young girl's shoulder, "your loyalty is admirable, but you're no match for such a wild beast as Gin."

"No!" she shouted in a rather shrill, obviously stressed voice. She stepped toward the group, far enough away that Aizen's hand- and half of his persuasion over her- could no longer reach her. "I'll defend you, Lord Aizen. No matter what!" And, with a frightful look in her eyes, she rushed toward Ichimaru, blade swinging down for a kill.

Metal clashed with metal, as she'd expected, but not who she'd expected it from. Standing before the Kan ruler, Kira was ready and willing, bearing a sword whose presence took both Ichigo and Ichimaru by surprise.

"Izuru, wherever did ya get that ol' thing?" Ichimaru wondered, a bit curious as to how long the boy had been training with a weapon.

Behind them, Zaraki chuckled lowly. "Even the most timid Kyuukaku native's got a wild side they'll show when they're provoked."

"I won't let you attack Lord Ichimaru," the blonde said, teeth grit in anticipation. He'd never really liked fighting, but he'd never really had anything worthwhile to fight _for_. Now, he had Ichimaru, and he was beginning to feel that spark Zaraki always spoke about; the passion for winning that must have been buried deep inside him, waiting for the perfect moment to jump out and, quite literally, attack.

Just as Hinamori was pushing back and the two began a relatively standard swordfight, Aizen raised his hand up to the ceiling, his gaze once again captured by the moon beyond. "Soon, Gensaiban will be upon us and this building will come crashing down upon us." His gaze shifted to Ichimaru and a knowing smile played across his lips. "As much uncertainty lies around this day, we can be positive that only the chosen one will survive the experience."

The implications, not only that Ichimaru may die but also that his subordinates and friends would perish regardless, caused the fox-faced man to falter for just a moment. He needed these people here to defeat Aizen, but would their only reward be a burial under this castle?

Before Ichimaru could rightfully respond, Zaraki once again took the center stage and aimed his weapon at Aizen. "S'about enough of your prophetic bullshit," he growled. "Come on, Ichigo!" the war lord shouted as he, with his old partner in crime at his side, rushed Aizen. The thrill of battle had never been quite so strong.

* * *

I just wanted to throw Stark in there, but I was so tired of writing fight scenes by the time this chapter came up that I couldn't put out another one. I had also intended to write more of Renji and Grimmjow's fight, but... augh. I still hate writing that kind of stuff. Besides, the final showdown still awaits~


	26. True Identities, Uncovered Motives

The sound of metal against metal was all that filled the bright, white room, the fighters' shadows dancing with each other as the forms they belonged to battled each other for victory. And watching it all, as if an emperor at a gladiator match, Ichimaru stood by silently. His attention, though originally focused on Ichigo, was caught by the movement of Kira and Hinamori from the corner of his eye.

Neither of the two were excellent fighters, and while Kira had the edge of greater physical strength, Hinamori had her experiences in battle. Unfortunately, her wounds from the earlier encounter with Ichigo were still tender and held her back. That, coupled with Kira's focused rage at her attacking Ichimaru in the first place, spelt disaster for the young girl. It wasn't long before an opening was spotted and, perhaps before Kira even knew what he was doing, dealt the fatal blow through her chest.

For a brief moment, the clash of swords ceased in the wake of Hinamori's cry to Aizen. The man in question spared a glance to his fallen subordinate and then, without even a hint of a smile or pitying look toward the girl, turned his attention back to Zaraki and Ichigo, as calm and collected as he had been when the group first arrived.

Seeing his lack of compassion for someone who very obviously threw her life away for him, Ichigo growled and attacked the enemy king with greater ferocity. "You really are heartless, aren't you?" he demanded, the strikes of his sword becoming faster and more volatile.

Aizen greeted the new attitude with a smile, defending the rage-induced attacks almost more easily than the calculated ones. "I knew from the moment she followed me, the type of person she was, that she would give her life for me, one day."

This, of course, did nothing to quell Ichigo's rage and he let out a frustrated shout as his sword met with Aizen's once more and he pushed into the attack. "Then you should have told her to stay behind! This fate was just cruel!"

"Do you not see it?" Aizen wondered, forced to take a defensive position and counter Ichigo's strength. "Denying her her last moments with me would have been more cruel than letting her die by my side."

Just as Ichigo was about to come back with yet another comment, most likely about how despicable a person Aizen was, Zaraki appeared behind his opponent, looking rather bored of the exchange. "Enough talk," he ordered and brought his sword down toward Aizen's back.

The Shokkaku king immediately deemed Ichigo the lesser of two evils and bared his back toward the carrot top in order to defend against Zaraki's more brutal assault. The choice was, as he soon found out, barely the wiser one. Ichigo, seemingly more focused but with an extra layer of underlying hatred toward Aizen, drove the point of his blade through the back of Aizen's shoulder, attempting to pierce the man's body completely through. He never had the chance, however, as the ground beneath their feet gave an unsteady shake and the dark skies outside melted away into a brilliant, golden light.

Almost as if it had a physical force behind itself, the light crashed into the castle and the structure gave another, firm rumble. The ceiling cracked and crumbled above their heads as chunks of marble came crashing down to the floor. One chunk in particular hurdled its way down to nearly crush the watching Ichimaru, though the lazy man was quicker on his feet that he'd led most to believe.

"Ichimaru!" It was enough, though, to distract Ichigo, who temporarily forgot about the enemy in front of him and focused only on his king's well-being.

Never one to miss an opportunity so glaringly bright in his face, Aizen took advantage of Ichigo's low defenses. What happened then seemed, to each and every one of the room's occupants, as if time itself had slowed down just to honor the moment.

Aizen's blade, just as Ichigo's had done moments before, pierced cleanly through cloth and skin, though in a much more fatal place. And though it took less than a second, hours could have passed as Zaraki, Kira, and Ichimaru watched their enemy take their friend's life. For the second time in recent history, ice blue greeted the world around him as Ichimaru's eyes peeled open to fully take in the sight. And all he knew was that Aizen would die.

It took Kira's shout of Ichigo's name to hurtle time back forward and put Ichimaru into action. With speed and aggression rivaling even Yoruichi's fast-footed movements, the Kan lord raced toward Aizen, his sword drawn and bearing down on his sibling within seconds. He attacked Aizen with quick, silent, purposeful movements. Ichimaru preferred not to battle; he preferred to watch. But at this point in time, all he preferred was to make Aizen suffer. He didn't have quite enough time for that to take effect, so he would have to settle for death.

All but shoved out of the way in his fellow king's fury, Zaraki grumbled something about everyone stealing the good opponents. Something in him seemed to have, momentarily, lost the fighting will, however. Zaraki did not operate like normal people. He fought for the fun of it whereas others fought for the necessity. When they were sparked by a large emotional outburst- usually hatred or jealousy or something else ridiculous like that- they fought like he did: Savagely and wild. Ichigo's death had sparked that in Ichimaru. However, all it did for Zaraki was make the fight no longer fun.

However, he was not numbed by shock or pain or sorrow. He was of just as sound (or unsound, depending on who was asked) mind as always, and so he retrieved Ichigo's limp body and carried it to the doorway, which housed Yumichika and Kira and the safest place in the room. He was greeted by, predictably, a rather defeated blonde boy and a depressed subordinate. God, he hated when people died; it took the fight out of everyone.

Everyone, it seemed, except Ichimaru. The Kan lord continued his assault, giving Aizen no opportunities for a retaliation. All around the pair, the ceiling finished its deadly game of crush-the-humans all at once, large chunks striking the ground and raising up a cloud of dust around them, obscuring them from the viewers' eyes.

"Lord Ichimaru! Lord Ichimaru!" Kira called out worriedly. The pain from seeing Ichigo's defeat had sent his mind reeling. Once it settled down enough to form simple thoughts, though, the only thing that was left was an increased concern for his newest king. Now, he could no longer see the two fighting and the only thing he could hear was the groaning protest of the castle as it seemed to give in to the strange, piercing light that had filled the sky above.

Finally, just as Kira had begun to consider racing into the rubble in search of Ichimaru, the two kings emerged, still locked in their deadly onslaught toward each other. He was about to call out Ichimaru's name again- he wasn't sure at this point why, but he couldn't just keep quiet or still- when the light above them turned from golden to pristine white and seemed to shine in on the two kings amongst the rubble.

"Well, would you look at that," Aizen remarked, grinning down at his brother. "It seems neither of us will have the edge, after all."

Without missing a beat, and taking advantage of Aizen's arrogance that everyone would accept that he was still in the game, Ichimaru thrust his sword upward into the taller man's stomach, sneering in his face. "Ya can go right on back t' Hell, where ya came from, Aizen."

Letting his sword drop with Aizen's limp form, Ichimaru half-stumbled fully into the brilliant white light, closing his eyes to the warmth it passed over him, engulfing him almost completely. Beams of pure white shot out in all directions before seizing back around him. Then, slowly creeping around the pure light, dark, black-purple sparks zapped around the room, slowly growing in number and size until the once-heavenly scene turned demonic and dangerous. The sky above crackled with darker energy and the rumbling of thunder once again reached Kira's ears.

"This isn't right," the blonde whispered, eyes trained on his lord, basked in the unearthly energy. "Something's wrong."

"Stay back," Yumichika warned and widened his eyes as Kira's wrist broke from his grip. "Kira!"

"Don't even think about it," Zaraki grunted, clamping a hand on Yumichika's shoulder as the soldier went to chase after his friend. "Just watch."

Kira approached Ichimaru slowly, the zaps of energy sending shocks through his entire body. He hesitated, just for a moment, thinking how calm Ichimaru looked, seemingly in another world inside of that light. Shaking his head resolutely, he pushed through the forcefield of magic, gritting his teeth against the stinging pain. He could feel his energy sapping and realized this foolish act could easily kill him.

Throwing all caution to the wind, he gave one last burst of movement forward and collided with another body. Wrapping his arms tightly around Ichimaru's neck, Kira buried his face into the older male's chest. "Lord Ichimaru," he whispered softly, the buzzing around them making it difficult for even himself to hear his own voice. He tilted his head slowly upward to Ichimaru's, teeth gritted against tears that threatened to spill and body shaking with his reserves of energy quickly being forced out.

Ichimaru's eyes opened, lazily, as he glowered down at the boy. Upon seeing Kira's frightened expression, though, his face softened and he raised a hand to place on top of the boy's head. "You're shakin', Izuru," he murmured, "that's no good."

"Please don't leave," Kira begged. He could feel his lord's heart beat slowly, calmly, as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening.

"It's alright," Ichimaru assured him, his voice as smooth as the hand that combed through Kira's hair. His eyes closed again and a soft smile, one like he had worn when he spoke of Yoruichi and Ichigo, replaced the concerned frown. He had everything under control, that much he was certain of. As he felt a certain peaceful aura (was it Kira's?) calling to him, the light around him vanished in an explosion of energy. He let out a soft sigh and locked his arms firmly around the smaller form. "Thanks, Izuru," he murmured lowly.

Kira snapped his head back up, his lashed moist with tears. "Why... why are you thanking me?"

"It'd been my intention all along t' destroy this world," Ichimaru confessed, "but I led everyone t' believe Aizen was the bad guy. Ain't nothin' good comin' of this place and we're all doomed t' lead miserable existences." The stunned silence was expected, and he took advantage of it to continue. "That's what I thought, anyway, but then I met you, Izuru, and ya were just so sweet an' kind an' caring. I thought ya were playin' around at first, but ya ain't got another side, this is how ya are all the time. Ya brought me hope back, even now, an' I decided I didn't want this world destroyed, if yer gonna be in it."

"Lord...Ichimaru..." He had been fooled? Ichimaru, all that time, was just using him? Using Ichigo? Even Yoruichi, in the end? Had he killed Hinamori for protecting the one that wanted to keep this world safe? Had Ichigo died for _this_? His mind reeled from a mixture of betrayal, despair, and utter confusion. Amongst all that, somewhere deep down that he couldn't quite place right now, was also comfort and perhaps just a little happiness. Not that he'd stopped what seemed to be the destruction of the world, but that Ichimaru had cared about him, felt enough for him, that he could change the king's mind. Was this the sort of thing Ichigo had talked about? How Ichimaru wasn't one to be trusted, yet he couldn't help but trust him? The strain on his body and mind was too much and the next thing he knew, his world was black.

"Kira!" Yumichika rushed over to the two and knelt down at his side in an instant. He instinctively checked the blonde's pulse, and relaxed slightly as he realized Kira was only unconscious, not dead. "What happened...?"

"Maybe he wore himself out," Ichimaru suggested, kneeling down as well.

"I tried to stop him," Yumichika said, running a hand through the mess of blonde hair. "Yoruichi warned us not to go near that light..."

"He'll be fine," Ichimaru assured him. Frowning slightly, he raised his head to catch sight of Zaraki, who still held Ichigo's limp body. Leaving Yumichika to tend to Kira, he stood and slowly made his way over to the Kyuukaku lord.

" You're lucky he didn't hear that," Zaraki said gruffly, frowning down at Ichimaru. "He'd have kicked your ass. I might still." Ichigo dying was bad enough. Ichigo dying for someone that had done nothing but lie to and use him? That was unforgiveable. Not to mention Zaraki himself had been fooled. But hadn't he expected as much? It seemed there was no one he could put his complete faith in. Well, perhaps Ikkaku. Or that strange little blonde.

"I'd deserve it," Ichimaru agreed, and though he didn't look as if he were struggling for something else to say, he was searching desperately for the words to make right what he'd done. Not to Zaraki- he couldn't really care less about that monster of a man- but to Ichigo. He had really cared for the boy, but he had thought perhaps they'd all be happier if they weren't in such a terrible world. It only turned out that Ichigo had seen what Ichimaru couldn't; what Kira and Ichigo had both somehow shown him: The world wasn't so terrible, after all. No, he would never be able to find the words for all of that.

The moment was interrupted by a rumbling under their feet; the castle was collapsing. "Let's go," the Kan lord said quickly, moving past Zaraki to lead the way out.

"Wait!" Yumichika called, and sighed as Zaraki gave him a shrug and followed Ichimaru out. Grumbling about Ichimaru being lazy, he scooped Kira into his arms and quickly trailed after the others.

* * *

The group emerged from the castle after a brief run down the massive flights of stairs, forced to dodge crumbling pieces of ceiling and wall. They were expelled out into the returned nightfall, the sky black and calm as if nothing had ever happened, and greeted by Yoruichi, Renji, Hisagi, and Urahara. Naturally the quickest of the group, Yoruichi reached them first, looking worriedly toward Ichigo's still body.

When no one spoke immediately, Zaraki gave a displeased grunt. "Aizen got 'im."

As if awaiting an order, Yoruichi immediately went to work, placing her hands over the obvious wound in Ichigo's chest. Everyone watched on as the space between her hands and Ichigo's skin buzzed with light and radiated warmth, her brow furrowing in concentration.

"Yoruichi." It was Ichimaru's voice, albeit lower and less cheerful than his usual tone. When she didn't look up, he reached out and grabbed her wrist firmly, frowning at her severely. "Stop it. It ain't gonna work an' ya know it. Ichigo's gone, so don't go wastin' energy ya could be usin' on the rest of us."

Yoruichi froze in her spot, eyes slowly moving to Ichimaru's face. She had never quite seen him act this way, and could only guess that it was some odd way of grieving. After all, hadn't she done the same thing to Renji, lashing out at him to leave Ukitake be when she only wanted to yell at herself for putting him in the position in the first place? She began to silently contemplate what could have happened in that tower.

"Where's Ikkaku?" Yumichika asked quietly, breaking the silence that had settled over the group. However, he was sure he already knew the answer, and wasn't positive that he could stomach hearing it.

Of course, no one else could really come forward with the whole truth, and so Renji stepped up. "He's gone."

In the wake of Yumichika's pained silence, Zaraki asked, 'How'd he die?"

"In battle," Renji told him, nodding as if it would validate his story.

Managing a chuckle, Zaraki turned his single good eye up to the sky. "Lucky."

Growing increasingly anxious with all the news of death, Hisagi turned to Urahara. "We have to find Lord Ukitake. Now."

Urahara nodded a confirmation, but made no movement other than to turn his attention to Byakuya, who had been the last to see him. At the slight shake of the noble's head, the sandy-haired man bowed his head and shoved his hat down a bit further. Next to him, Hisagi's energy gave out and forced the battle-worn man to his knees.

What could have been days seemed to pass as none of the group seemed to manage the energy to speak or move much at all. It was only when the slow clicking of wooden wheels reached their ears that heads raised and hopeful eyes searched the road ahead. Casually rolling toward them was a carriage with none other than Ukitake at the reins, looking even paler than usual, but very much alive.

A small ray of light shined across the entire group and it wasn't until the sickly king stopped the vehicle in front of them that anyone spoke. "Why does everyone look so down?" he wondered. "Lord Ichimaru is still alive and so the worst must have been stopped." Before a real answer could be given, Ukitake was assaulted by his two subordinates, nearly knocking him onto the ground with affection and jumbled words vaguely describing the belief that he had passed on. "Now, what have I told you two before? You should have a little more faith in me than that."

"Sorry," Hisagi said sheepishly, unable to hide a grin peeking out from under the stress of the day.

"Well, you see," Urahara said in a much more cheery tone, "it was all Lord Kuchiki's fault. He practically told us you'd passed!"

A bit shocked, Ukitake looked to his childhood friend, feigning hurt. "Byakuya, you, too?"

A bit flustered at being put on the spot, and ashamed that the answer was obvious, Byakuya turned his attention to Renji. "We must leave immediately."

"Oh...right! Rukia's probably worried sick about us!" Renji exclaimed.

"I don't think that's why he wants to leave~" Yoruichi whispered to Ichimaru, a hint of her sly nature seeping into her tone. She then blinked and turned her attention to the crumbling castle. "Speaking of leaving, what are you going to do with this place, now?"

Ichimaru tilted his head back to give the heap of marble one, last glance before looking at her. "How 'bout I leave it t' you? I ain't got a real use for it an' I already know ya can handle it."

With seemingly no more matters to settle, the group slowly made their way from Shokkaku back across the rift to the Inner Kingdoms, each lost in his or her thoughts of the day's events.

* * *

"Home, sweet home," Zaraki muttered as they approached his castle. "Listen up! Just 'cause my place was the closest an' you're all banged up don't mean I'm offerin' rooms out. Ya made it this far, ya can make it back to your own homes."

"It's good to see that the world nearly ending hasn't softened your rock-hard exterior any~" Urahara said, teasingly, merely grinning at the look he was given, which plainly told him to fuck off.

"Speaking of generosity," Yoruichi said, leaning heavily on her sandy-haired friend, "you wouldn't make a poor, defenseless girl walk all the way home, would you? Surely you'll give up your carriage!"

Hisagi immediately jumped to the defensive, motioning to Ukitake. "Our king is injured! There's no way you're getting it. Besides, when's the last time anyone could call _you _defenseless?"

"Ah, don't put me in the middle of this," Ukitake protested, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I feel much better, actually, and I wouldn't mind a little walk-"

"I'm sure Yoruichi would never take transportation away from her elder," Urahara chimed in, waving a hand.

"Just because you're an old man doesn't mean you can take it easy!" she shot back to a grinning Kisuke.

"Enough!" Zaraki shouted, doubly annoyed with all the bickering. "If it'll shut you all up, take whatever transportation you need. Just leave!"

"What's his problem?" Yoruichi asked, furrowing her brows.

"Somethin' tells me Lord Zaraki ain't gonna play nice with us anymore," Ichimaru whispered to her. "I kinda lied to him."

"Gin..." Stopping herself from lecturing the younger man, Yoruichi followed Zaraki's lead and went with Renji to fetch transportation home.

Watching them leave, Byakuya looked to Ukitake and, for a moment, couldn't find the words to formulate his thoughts. Seeing his friend struggling, Ukitake offered some of his own words. "I'm glad you didn't get hurt. Renji, too."

At the mention of the redhead, the king cleared his throat and chanced a glance away. "Renji is a capable soldier."

The corners of Ukitake's lips turned up. "Extremely capable."

Noticing the strange looks their conversation was drawing, Byakuya turned his back to his old friend, eyes closed in irritation. "Well, he should be good for something."

"At least I'm good for that," a voice spoke up and as Byakuya opened his eyes, they were met with annoyed green ones.

Having far too much pride to say anything in return in public- and perhaps even in private- the Mikaku king wordlessly climbed into the cab of the carriage Renji had gotten from Zaraki, shutting the door firmly behind him.

"Give him some time," Ukitake offered an exasperated Renji.

"At least we've got some, now," Renji agreed and waved a farewell to the rest of the group before climbing behind the horse's reins and heading east toward his home.

"We should get going, as well," Hisagi spoke up, sending a concerned look toward Ukitake.

"Travel safe," Yoruichi said, offering the three a smile.

"Well, if we're going to do that, maybe we should see if Lord Zaraki will feed and water the cart before we go," Hisagi remarked, sending a playful grin toward his king, once again recalling the time that Ukitake had credited Byakuya's treatment of their horses with their safe journey home.

"You'll never let that go, will you?" Ukitake asked, defeated.

Waving the three off, Yoruichi turned to Ichimaru, a frown once again creasing her face. "Gin, what will you do? About..." It seemed, to her, that there was a debate on where Ichigo's body should be laid to rest. Ichimaru had been his last king, but Zaraki his first and the one he did fighting beside. She hoped the two could resolve it peacefully.

"Take it," Zaraki said rather promptly. "I don't need a dead body to remind me of him."

Ichimaru considered this for a moment before shaking his head. "It wouldn't be right an' ya know it. 'Sides, he mighta been with me for a while, but there ain't no other place he belongs than here with you."

For a second, the two locked gazes, but that second was up quickly and ended with Zaraki shrugging and turning his back to the group. "Whatever. Just get off my land."

* * *

"Man, it's good to be home!" Renji said, taking in a huge breath and stretching. The ride wasn't particularly long, but it was awkward and he still wasn't sure what to make of what he'd overheard Byakuya saying to the others. He definitely wasn't the type to be sarcastic or joke around, so he must have been serious, right? Not that Renji would really blame him, if he was; what else _could_ he be good for? He was a fighter and, it seemed, nothing more. He glanced over his shoulder as his king emerged from the cab of the carriage. "I'm gonna go tell Rukia we're back."

Just as Renji was almost out of his reach, Byakuya's hand reached out and caught the redhead's wrist in a firm grasp, holding him up. At the questioning look he received, he retreated a bit and relinquished his grip. He wasn't sure what to say and wished more than anything that Ukitake was here to translate all of his subtle gestures into something this slow-witted fool could understand.

"Ya didn't mean what you said," Renji ventured a guess. Or was it just blind hope? "Right?"

Byakuya surveyed the other for a moment, silently debating on if he could put into words what was running through his mind at the moment. "Renji, I..." More struggling. All he knew was how to be condescending and shut off. That's how he had been raised, after all, so he could be a level-headed and effective ruler. Even with Rukia he couldn't be fully compassionate or open and Ukitake never forced him to be such. "You have incredible value to me."

If Renji hadn't thought that words could be more confusing or frustrating than silence, he was wrong. "I, uh... thanks." He had value? What sort of value? Just as a fighter, like Byakuya had said before? But then he would have just brushed Renji's question off in that aloof way he always does, right? "Hey, listen, Lord-"

"Don't call me that," Byakuya said suddenly, a bit surprised himself at his words. But he couldn't take them back, and he was sure he had wanted to say them. "When we're alone," he quickly corrected himself. "When we're alone, just... Byakuya is fine."

Renji couldn't stop his jaw from dropping a bit, but when it finally closed, it was to form a big smile. "Right, then. Byakuya." He did it just to test it out. It felt strange, and he was half-expecting still to be yelled at, and he could see in the other man's eyes that he was trying to adjust to the sound himself and refrain from reprimanding the informality. " I'll just... go check on Rukia, now."

And once again, Renji was stopped from retreating. But this time it was by a pair of delicate arms looping around his waist from behind. His entire body froze rigid at the embrace and he wasn't sure what to do, so he simply stayed still, hoping for some hint as to what was going on with his king. It was like he was an entirely different person.

"I'm glad you weren't killed," Byakuya murmured, leaning wholly against the sturdier form of his subordinate. He knew these actions weren't appropriate, and likely he was confusing Renji beyond all reason, but he was confused himself. He knew he wasn't nearly ready to dissect his feelings for this loud-mouthed, vulgar, rude boy, but he did know that when he did, regardless of what he found, the root of all of it would be that he felt secure with Renji around. As if he had someone he could fully depend on; someone that wouldn't disappoint him, no matter how rough around the edges he may be. If undignified was the price he had to pay for assurance, then he may just be willing to penny up.

"Uh-" Renji had no real response to any of this. Not the affection, not the words, not even what was going on inside his head. It was too much to think about on such a tired mind, but he was positive that Byakuya's words carried more weight than if he or someone like Ukitake had said them. And just as the noble was detaching himself from the other and briskly walking away without another word, Renji realized that he may be on the right path to actually understanding that guy.

* * *

During the ride home, though very near the end of it, Kira regained consciousness. Stuck back in the cab with Ichimaru, Yoruichi at the front, he kept very quiet and very to himself for the rest of the ride home. Ichimaru had tried to talk to him a couple of times- about Ichigo, about Zaraki, about how they'd be able to enjoy a bit more peace now that everything was settled- but Kira couldn't formulate much of a response. Not until he figured out if he was more upset that he'd been lied to so thoroughly or more relieved that everything had worked out well, in the end. Well, for the most part. Despite how close he'd felt to Ichimaru the past few days, Kira wasn't sure he could ever forgive the man for what he did to Ichigo. Nor quell his fears about turning into another Ichigo. How was he so sure that there wasn't someone before Ichigo that had been replaced _by_ Ichigo? What if that's just how Ichimaru operated? But Yoruichi... Kira looked up to glance at the woman's back. She seemed so smart and level-headed. Surely she wouldn't be close to someone who was fully evil, right? Besides, what Ichimaru had said back in the castle was that Kira had changed his way of thinking. Didn't that mean things would be okay from now on and he could forgive the other's past crimes?

When they finally arrived home, Hanatarou greeted them at the door with a big smile. "Lady Yoruichi! Lord Ichimaru! Kira! Welcome home! I'm so glad you're back! I'll make up a big dinner to celebrate your return and-" the energetic boy stopped in his speech to look over the small group once more. "Wait... where's Ichigo?"

Ichimaru was the one to finally walk inside, past Hanatarou, and pat the young boy on the head. "I don't think we're too hungry right now, Hana. Maybe later."

Yoruichi gave the youngest a smile and took him by the hand. "I don't know about those two, but I'd love some food."

Kira watched Hanatarou and Yoruichi disappear into the kitchen while Ichimaru ascended the stairs to disappear behind a door Kira knew too well. _Ichigo's room._ With a light sigh, he waited a few minutes to contemplate and finally followed his king up the stairs and into his fallen friend's room.

Inside, he found the silver-haired man perched on the edge of Ichigo's bed, doing nothing much but losing himself in thought. Silently, Kira sat himself next to the king, hands folded neatly in his lap. He was questioning so much right now, from his faith in Ichimaru to Ichimaru's faith in _him_ and even if he would have been better off never coming to Kan. Not that he'd had much choice in the matter, but he was nearly positive that if he wanted, Zaraki would have him back. Possibly, Ichimaru might even agree to the transition, if he really felt guilty enough about everything. Somehow, guilt wasn't something Kira associated easily with Ichimaru.

"Do ya want t' leave?" Not 'please, don't leave' or 'I won't let you leave' or even 'I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to leave'. It was an option, one that Ichimaru couldn't have known Kira was contemplating, however frivolously. Still, wasn't it the obvious response to everything that had happened? Ichimaru was sure that if their positions were reversed that he would realize the back-stabbing king he was serving was no good for him. Then again, if it were really Ichimaru, he'd probably stay, anyway.

Kira could feel the anticipation of his answer weighing heavily in the air. The truth was, he did want to leave. But not his current place, just his current time. He wanted to go back and keep Ichigo from dying and keep Ichimaru from isolating himself from the rest of the world. He was sure that running away from Ichimaru wouldn't erase the marks the man had already left and so, no, he really didn't want to leave.

Slowly, the blonde extended one hand and moved it to wrap tightly around one of Ichimaru's. "As long as what you said back there was true, then no. I don't want to leave."

Back there. In Kan's castle. Ichimaru realized as soon as he saw Kira through the haze of energy that he could have easily lied about everything; acted as if he had no idea what the strange, dark electrical zaps meant or why they had ever occurred; acted as if it wasn't a manifestation of the darkness in his heart and that his spite toward the world would have been the thing to end it. But just as his hatred had caused the abnormalities, his fondness for Kira and memories of Ichigo had vanquished them. Perhaps, had Kira not been there to pull him back, he would have carried on with his original plan.

Reaching out to show an unusual bout of affection, Ichimaru wrapped his arms around the smaller man at his side, leaning his head on the bony shoulder like a child to its parent. "I meant every word," he assured the other, resting heavily against him. "Ya got such a way 'bout ya."

"I'm not sure what you mean, but I'm glad you like it." Honestly, Kira never saw anything particularly special in himself. He was average in every aspect of the word and had no strong, redeeming qualities. He had his strengths, of course, but even those were basic things like punctuality and obedience.

"But ya know," Ichimaru said lightly, tilting his head to look up at Kira with a mischievous smile, "we're stuck together forever, now."

"That's kind of foreboding," Kira told him, adopting a slightly concerned expression. "Is it because I interrupted that strange ritual before?"

Ichimaru thought to lie to the boy and tell him it was indeed because Gensaiban had been intruded upon, and such a thing bore grave consequences, but his tongue wrapped itself in a knot the moment the idea struck him. After all, lying had gotten him in such a bad position in the first place, though telling the truth beforehand may have had him in worse shape.

"Nah," he finally conceded, returning to his resting position, "I just ain't ever gonna let ya go."

Glad that Ichimaru had his eyes averted, Kira felt his face tinge with heat and a faint smile tug at his lips. "Yes, sir."

* * *

...Worst ending ever or something. Aha, but I began to enjoy Byakuya and Renji's exchanges/relationship more than Kira and Ichimaru's. I might have even ended with them, but Kira and Ichimaru were sort of the focus of the whole thing, so it would have been especially dumb not to end with them. So there it is~ I'm pretty satisfied with it, though I'll have to go back and edit some earlier chapters to let everything flow better, especially the part where I purged my inner weeaboo and realized it wasn't cute to end things with Japanese honorifics, even in a fanfiction. Oh, to be young again~

So, I probably left some explanations out, and I know I didn't really touch back on Hitsugaya or involve Matsumoto anymore. Nor did I follow up with Ulquiorra, Szayel, and Stark to see how they handled everything afterward. Maybe some day I'll dedicate some time to giving them all their closure. For now, though, this thing is FINALLY finished. Let me know what you thought!


End file.
